Max Byer trained and worked as a projectionist. His work gave him some experience with the technical aspects of the equipment as he was involved with the conversion of silent and sound-on-disk projectors to optical sound.

He saw a need for locally produced blank acetate recording discs and with a dividend from a wager on the Melbourne Cup prior to World War II Max started his business, Broadcast Recording Supplies (BRS).

Initially Max operated the business from the backyard of his home at 48 Elizabeth Street, Malvern in 1940. Machinery was built to make aluminum-base blank discs for sound recording studios. Legionaire Sound Productions Pty Ltd were the first clients of Broadcast Recording Supplies.

War time restrictions made the importation of blank discs impossible. At the same time the war produced an increased demand for blank discs because censorship regulations forcing the pre-recording of more radio programs. During this time Radio Australia became Broadcast Recording Supplies largest customer for blank discs.

By April 1940 BRS moved to 8 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne. Initially BRS only occupied the up-stairs front section of the building. The entire ground floor was used by Timewell & Butterworth, a motor body repairer. However, this business closed a short time later as the staff were enlisting in the armed services. The ground floor was then occupied by the U.S. Marine Quartermaster’s Store for mobile radio stores and servicing. Near the end of WWII the U.S. Marines vacated the space and in moved the Australian Government Department of Import Procurement.

Early in the war years Max Byer developed a process for applying a phenolic coating to kraft paper for mould formed laminars in the electrical and radio industries. Towards the end of the war a machine for coating kraft paper was constructed in the up-stairs section of 8 Dorcas Street. This was developed for use in the making of waterproof plywood, used in the body section of Mosquito bombers. This plant was later moved to the Richmond premises of Stapleton & Lewis, Plywood makers.

 

When WWII was over BRS took over the ground floor section of the Dorcas Street building allowing further expansion.

August 1946 sees, notification of the incorporation of Byer Industries Ltd.

£50,000 of shares were issued £1 a share, with the capital raised used to purchase “Broadcast Recording Supplies Co”.

The Byer Industries trading name is being used in advertising as early as April 1946.

By 1946 BRS had become a major supplier of acetate discs in Australia, and they were now making 16″ turntables for the broadcast industry.

Over the following years, the product range expanded greatly to include:

  • Turntables
  • Disc cutters
  • Tape add-on units for turntables
  • Pick-ups
  • Microphones
  • Amplifiers
  • Professional and domestic tape recorders
  • Related accessories

Much of the manufacturing was carried out at the Dorcas Street site as there was an extensive workshop, a non-ferrous foundry, a pattern making shop, a spray paint shop, a tool making section, and electronics laboratory.

Prior to the incorporation of Byer Industries, the Broadcast Recording Supplies BRS logo was used.

Logos used in advertising material from the late 1940’s to the mid 1950’s give BRS decreasing prominence

The final logo was simply “Byer Sound Quality”.

As early as 1950, the phrase “Sound Quality” had been used in earlier Byer literature but not as part of a logo. So far, the earliest use of this logo appears to be in late 1954 on the VU meter in the Byer “77”.

The Dorcas Street site was quite small considering how many different manufacturing operations were undertaken there.

Motor Assembly and Testing

Motor Assembly and Testing

Machine Shop

Furnace for casting non-ferrous metals

Turntable Test Area

Assembly of Mk II Series Tape Transports

Byer also manufactured both components and complete products for other companies.

  • The Magnecord PT6-JAH and M80 model tape recorders were made by Byer under license to Magnecord for sale in the Australian and New Zealand markets.
  • Products such as 16″ turntables and the 44BX microphone were made for AWA.
  • Byer motors were used in Pyrox wire recorders.

Byer Industries had some financial difficulties in the mid 1950’s and Rola Co. (Aust) took over the operations of the Byer factory in late 1957 and continued to develop the product range.

Max Byer subsequently opened a Motel in Holbrook NSW which to this day still has the Byer logo prominently displayed on the building.

 

Max passed in January 1985.

Much of the information was provided to me by Allan Rowlands who was Max Byer’s first employee, joining BRS in January 1941, Thank you Allan for your assistance. Many of the images shown here and other Byer Industries pages we kindly provided by one of Max’s grandsons, Mark Dryden.