The demand for products during WW2 saw a lot of innovation as the company expanded into producing different types of plastics, including PVC and polymers.
[13] Peter Derham worked with the company for most of his life[14] and other family members managing various parts of the business.
In 1988, however, Jackson took over the Australian Consolidated Industries Limited (ACI) itself for a takeover of roughly $1.6 billion, following the share market crash.
[18] His results in the Asian sector saw him appointed to London to manage the global BTR business, applying his same strategies of success in 1991.
Austrim, having expanded under Jackson's strategic direction, acquired Nylex in October 1998 for A$63 million,[19] when BTR completely collapsed.
Nylex's brightly colored Bessemer line of informal tablewares was common in Australian homes in the 1960s.
Nylex moved to Cremorne Street, Richmond, in the 1950s, and John Derham's office overlooked the Silos.
Derham realised it would be a prominent spot for promotion of his company, which at that time was expanding and the publicity would be beneficial.
He decided to move ahead with putting a Neon sign on the silos, ultimately concluded by his son Peter Derham.
At the time the staff referred to it as "Derham's folly" and it was seen as a waste of money, but ultimately it became a famous landmark promoting the Nylex brand.
[27] At the time it had 8 subsidiaries, some producing garden hose, Esky Coolers, film and plastic car parts and water tanks.
In the BTR and Austrim eras, the company had expanded exponentially, but this had cut down profit margins.
The company also, under Alan Jackson, had moved into purchasing businesses in loss making sectors, including textiles, which were suffering huge downturns at the time.
The large Mentone site, which had previously housed 1000 workers, was sold off for part commercial, part residential, though a heritage protected Nylex sign remains [9] The Nylex brand continues to exist, selling plastic garden hose and garden products throughout Australia, through large hardware outlets.