By CASEY NEILL
MOST shoppers give little thought to the security tag removed from their clothing purchase and thrown into a box under a Myer checkout desk.
But at Wallara Industries, they’re cause for celebration.
The Keysborough factory provides work for adults of different abilities from across the south east, and they’ve sorted and reassembled about 96,000 tags each week for more than four years.
Most then travel to China, Hong Kong and all over the Asia-Pacific region, where Myer product manufacturers fix the tag on a new product and send them to Australia.
On Wednesday 24 September, workers recycled their 20 millionth tag.
Checkpoint Systems merchandise availability solutions vice president Mark Gentle joined the team to celebrate.
The global leader joined with Myer to improve merchandise protection including the source tagging of merchandise, reducing Myer’s in-store theft.
Mr Gentle and Myer store operations general manager Wendy Marshall acknowledged the contribution Wallara Industries has played to the multi-national program.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Wallara Industries general manager Garry Baker said.
“We are able to provide meaningful, supported employment to people with different abilities and Myer gets the quality results they expect, with the bonus of knowing they are giving back to the community.”
Wallara Industries is a division of Wallara Australia – a not-for-profit support service for adults with different abilities. Visit www.wallara.com.au for more information.
