Snapshot in Time: The turbulent history of fertiliser manufacturing company CSBP Geraldton and its NWCH hub

Hidden behind a big buffer zone of trees on the North West Coastal Highway, CSBP Geraldton is a somewhat mysterious entity to many in Geraldton. The fertiliser manufacturing company was established in 1910, and has since gone through many mergers and acquisitions, from Cuming Smith and Company to Cuming Smith and Mt Lyell (CSML), to Cuming Smith British Petroleum (CSBP). The Geraldton works opened in 1930, along with the Bunbury works, with the Albany branch following in 1954. Geraldton CSBP has employed many locals over the years and facilitated the training of a vast number of apprentices, which supplied local industry with a steady flow of tradespeople. In the early 1990s, trade embargoes that prevented overseas imports of chemical fertiliser into Australia were lifted, and CSBP was forced to compete with cheap fertiliser imports from African countries. This led to a scaling back of operations for CSBP in WA, with the Geraldton works ceasing manufacturing and becoming a depot for fertiliser from the Kwinana works. Almost 100 years since its inception, Geraldton CSBP continues to serve local farmers and producers. Snapshots is an initiative of the Geraldton Regional Library. For more information, or to donate a historical photo or slide contact 9956 6659 or library@cgg.wa.gov.au