Melbourne-based machine tool manufacturer ANCA opened three new sales offices in overseas markets and established its first overseas manufacturing plant. This expansion will be supported by a $4 million investment in new machinery for the Bayswater North factory, which takes ANCA's total spending on new plant and equipment to $6 million in the last 12 months. After successfully establishing a branch office in China, ANCA continued to seek new overseas opportunities. In particular, the company opened branch offices in Brazil, Italy and Japan. According to the company's press release, ANCA's growth rate is at 30% annually. In mid-2005, ANCA acquired two highly-accurate Yasda machining centres and installed a Voumard grinding machine in July 2006. Two Swiss-made Dixi machining centres are due to be commissioned before the end of this year to bring the total investment to $6 million. "This undertaking is a major investment for any company, but more so for one the size of ANCA. With a targeted increase of 24% for the 2006/07 year, we needed to increase our production capability to stay in front of the growth rate", Linsey Siede, group general manager says. "Part of the strategic plan has been to increase our in-house capabilities in the technically-complex and precise operations. We needed the space for the expansion to create what we believe will be the best-equipped machine shop in the Southern Hemisphere. This prompted us to re-examine our resources globally.? ANCA solved its floor space issues by setting-up its first off-shore manufacturing plant, in Rayong, Thailand. Although the Bayswater factory has relinquished some operations to Rayong, Siede is quick to point out that strict quality control has not been compromised, and that employment at ANCA Bayswater is also forecast to grow. "We've chosen to invest in growing and expanding the highly technical skilled operations in Australia, at the same time producing some of the less technical assemblies overseas. Having our own operation rather than out-sourcing means we can maintain the same quality standards as we have here in Bayswater."