Hammersmith Woodturners Pty. Ltd. opened for business back in 1946 when E.J.(Ted) Groth, a toolmaker by trade, started a small hand wood turning business in his backyard, manufacturing wooden souvenirs and turnings for the furniture trade.

In the early years the growth of the business was helped greatly by the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and the use of wooden legs on the bottom of television sets made by Philips.

 The company purchased their first automated wood turning lathe in 1962, and have now expanded their collection to well over 20. Drawing on his experience as a toolmaker, and having a fully equipped tool room, Ted was not only able to maintain and repair all specialised wood turning equipment, but also build machines to do special processes in cutting down on costly hand finishing. Ted continued to have an active hands-on role in the business well into his 90's. Ted passed away in 2019, just a few months after turning 100.

In 1966, Ted’s son Geoff, joined the business. After spending over 20 years in production and sales, Geoff went on to manage the company until his retirement in 2012. It was Geoff's early efforts "on the road" that helped the company expand into the many different areas that it is involved in today, including the building, staircase, and furniture industries throughout all parts of Australia.

In 1995, Geoff's son Wyatt became the third generation to work in this successful family business. Like his father, Wyatt has concentrated his efforts in customer relations, including the setting up of office and factory systems to ensure the customer's demands can be met both quickly and accurately. In 2012, Wyatt took over the role of general manager of the business after his father retired.

In 2010, Wyatt's wife Michelle joined the company. Initially taking on the role as receptionist as well as marketing, Michelle has more recently moved into managing accounts and payroll.

In 2024, Wyatt’s son Jarrod became the fourth generation to work for the family business. After graduating from university and working in marketing for a year, Jarrod joined the family business in the role of Sales & Marketing Assistant. They will monitor his career with great interest as Hammersmith moves into a new era.

In recent years, the decline in popularity of wood turnings has resulted in changes to the types of products manufactured; and now with over 75 years of business behind them, they are a 100% freehold company that employs around 15 people; and whilst their past doesn’t guarantee a future it certainly goes a long way to doing so.