ARDEX Australia is near completion of a green star manufacturing regional headquarters in Kemps Creek, west of Sydney, positioning it as an Industry 4.0 building materials manufacturer for Oceania.
Oceania Regional Managing Director, Fabian Morgan, said the move underscores the company’s future-focussed sustainable vision.
“We are passionate people who are driven by innovation, responsibility, integrity and belonging. The site’s 50-year design life and targeting 6-star green rating are testament to our vision, values and plans for reinvestment back into our people, profitability and planet.
“We’re investing now for long term, low cost production ensuring we will retain our market focused position for decades to come,” he said.
The site’s bespoke advanced manufacturing design includes a world-class 35-metre high powder manufacturing tower used to vertically mix raw materials efficiently. The new liquids manufacturing plant is an industry-first for its orientation and size and includes a 20-metre silo tower for storage and transfer of raw materials to the multi-level mixing plant.
“Our commitment to local manufacturing and Australian-made supply brings certainty and stability to customers.”
Other Industry 4.0 characteristics include automation, electric vehicles and forklifts, solar panel system spanning 17,000 sqm, rainwater tanks, and energy efficient lighting – targeting the site a 6 Star Green Star Design As-Built v1.3 rating and a serious contender for awards into the future.
The YARDS developed by joint-venture partners Frasers Property Industrial and Aware Real Estate is the first industrial estate in Australia to achieve a 6 Star Green Star Communities v1.1 rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, within which the ARDEX Oceania HQ resides. It includes solar installations, water harvesting and recycling, and full electrification to facilitate a seamless transition to fossil fuel-free energy sources in the future.
The ARDEX HQ site doubles the size of the company’s current research and training facilities, recognising the requirements for new and innovative building material solutions and a strong succession of future installers and applicators in the waterproofing, generation construction, flooring and tiling industries.
The location is strategic for an optimal national logistics network for the warehouse, located nearby the 24/7 Western Sydney International Airport and future Southern Link Road in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, close to the M4 and M7, and within Greater Western Sydney’s sought-after industrial zone, alongside Microsoft and Amazon.
ARDEX has future plans to grow local employment opportunities. According to Tanya Davies, Member for Badgerys Creek, ARDEX is clearly an organisation with strong values and best employer qualities which brings attractive employment opportunities for residents within the largest employment catchment area in Sydney.
“We’re excited to welcome ARDEX into the neighbourhood and value their integrity and responsibility towards the environment, skills and future vision.”
The $140 million investment is the single largest infrastructure investment that the intergenerational privately-owned global organisation has internally funded in its 70 years of operation.
For the first time, ARDEX will merge its manufacturing, warehousing and support office as well as its joint venture partners DTA Australia, Nexus Adhesives and WEDI, in April 2024.
The site complements the other 9 manufacturing and 14 distribution centres around Australia and New Zealand.
ENDS
About ARDEX
The ARDEX Group comprises of 67 subsidiaries, 50+ production facilities and some 4,000 employees represented in more than 100 countries.
The history of ARDEX can be traced back over 70 years to Witten, Germany where ARDEX Chemie GmbH was founded. Products such as Ardit Z 8 and Ardur K 15 are firmly established as benchmarks for flooring products worldwide.
ARDEX entered the Australian market through the acquisition of Norcros Building Products in 2001 known in Australia as ABA. The latter has a similar heritage in the Australasian market with ABA tile adhesives- renowned for their quality and technical excellence, a reputation built over 40 years. Innovations such as Abaflex are unique in the market until this day. Other brands offered by ABA include Superflex under-tile waterproofing systems, Shelter (previously Dunlop) sheet membrane systems and Hydrepoxy coatings. In 2002 Vibro Products Pty Ltd, manufacturers under licence of ARDEX floor levelling and adhesives, was acquired and integrated into ARDEX Australia.
These brands, leaders in their respective fields, come together under the ARDEX Australia umbrella, offering you expert solutions. In addition, sharing of resources and technology within our extensive network enables us to provide you with a broader range of world benchmarked products and services.
ARDEX system solutions have been making buildings better all over the world. From the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the London Olympic Aquatic Centre, the Sydney Opera House and commercial and residential projects big and small. ARDEX systems provide reliability and support that are always tailored to the specific requirements of the project.
Strong growth and intelligent acquisitions in foreign and local markets enables the ARDEX Group to draw from a global pool of resources. This allows ARDEX to ultimately supply complete system solutions which include market leading, high quality products and services to its valued customers.
ARDEX has continued with its growth since these initial acquisitions in Australia with investments including Dunlop, DTA Australia, Nexus, WEDI, Loba, Wakol, Cemix, and Drymix, all market leading brands in Australia each focusing on distinct product segments and channels.
For media enquiries or an interview with Fabian Morgan please contact Monique Fenech on 0460 733 808 or Monique.fenech@ardexaustralia.com