The Past

In 1951, after his return from the second world war, Mr Russell Jones (now deceased) together with his wife Lorna (now deceased), founded Corowa Plumbing Supplies Pty Ltd which now trades as Jones’s Plumbing Plus. The business is very well known to everybody in the building industry in the Southern Riverina and local district. The company merchandises a wide range of products such as a full range of tapware, spa baths, sanitary ware, copper tubing and fittings, PVC piping and fittings, CIGWELD, BOC gas products, a complete range of steel bars, rods and angles through its Steel Division, a wide range of rainwater goods and roofing materials, building hardware, tools, Onga, Davey and Mono pumps, a full range of P.C. items, and insulation products. Jones’s Plumbing Plus Corowa has been a distributor for some of Australia's largest companies, including Tubemakers, Iplex Pipelines, Fletcher Insulation, Steeline Roofing Centre, Dorf Industries, Email Kitchen & Bathroom Products, Rinnai Australia, Rheem Australia and Caroma Industries for many years.

1980

The company had also operated a contracting division for all facets of the plumbing industry and was actively involved in new cottage work, light industrial, roofing and general maintenance. Due to the continuing rapid growth of its retail business, a decision was made in late 1993 after 40 years in operation, to close the plumbing contracting division. This enabled the trade workshop to be converted into a storage area for bulk purchasing of plumbing materials for resale. The ability to purchase in bulk has offered substantial cost benefits to the plumbing retail business and enhanced its market competitiveness.

Corowa Plumbing Supplies Pty Ltd has grown substantially since its inception. In 1980, the Jones family extended their business portfolio into the Corowa property market with the construction of a major motel in Corowa.

The motel was developed as a successful business, operated for about five years, and consequently sold. Other property portfolios have been maintained.

1981

In 1981 the company expanded into manufacturing with the purchase of the first mobile rollforming machine to operate in NSW. This trailer mounted rollformer travelled direct to building sites throughout the Southern Riverina and North East Victorian regions and rollformed Colorbond Steel Gutter and Colorbond Steel Fascia specific to the job site in the lengths and colours required for each individual building project. This on site rollforming technology revolutionised the domestic home building market and was so successful that by 1985 the business had three dual header mobile fascia & gutter machines servicing the region daily. Corowa Plumbing Supplies Pty Ltd pioneered the on site rollforming in its area and became well known as the largest supplier of gutter and fascia in the Southern Riverina, North East Victoria, Albury-Wodonga and Corowa districts.

1986

In 1986, having made the operations of the mobile fascia and gutter rollformers a substantial success for the company, the Jones family embarked on a further expansion program with the establishment of The Roofing Centre Albury-Wodonga Pty Ltd which incorporated the mobile fascia and gutter division and trades as the Steeline Roofing Centre.

2017

In late 2017 THE JONES FAMILY GROUP further expanded its business operations when it purchased an 18,000 sq metre site in Wagga Road, Lavington. The long term plan was to redevelop the site into a modern showroom and trade complex and expand the Corowa based plumbing supply business into the Albury Wodonga region. Renovations were commenced in late 2018 and then with Covid hitting in early 2020 work was suspended. The renovations recommenced in early 2021 and the new 5,000 sq metre site was opened by the end of that year. The opening of that store increased the population base for sale of plumbing materials by over 100,000 people.

It generated substantial sales growth to the family group, dramatically increased stock turnover, and further utilised the existing transport network.

Jones Plumbing Plus Corowa & Albury

The increase in market share occurred quite rapidly due to the strong client base within the building and plumbing industries which already existed within the group due to the current Steeline Roofing Centre operations, together with greater utilisation of the existing sales teams. So from the humble beginnings in Corowa back in 1951 the original family business of Russell & Lorna Jones was now a prominent player in the twin cities of Albury Wodonga and the surrounding Murray River regions.

Jones’s Plumbing Plus as it now trades in both Corowa and Lavington currently employs eighteen people across the two sites and centres its operations in the Murray River region of Albury – Wodonga, Southern Riverina and North East Victoria.