He purchased a large block of land at Mile End with potential for a private railway siding and around 1911 established the factory there, by 1916 it was known as Perry Engineering.

[1][2] In 1915, Perry purchased the James Martin & Co Phoenix Foundry works in Gawler from the estate of the owner Henry Dutton of Anlaby.

The company had recently lost a major contract for locomotives, which may have affected the price,[3] as may have World War I which was then consuming capital and manpower.

[7] The Victorian State Rivers & Water Supply Commission purchased eight for construction of the Hume Weir and nine for the rebuilding of Silvan Reservoir.

[citation needed] During World War II much of the factory was converted to manufacture munitions and defence equipment including two types of vehicles which were sold to the Americans.