July 2008 - South Australian Premier, Mike Rann, announces SBS venture in the Middle East

On 9 July 2008, South Australian Premier Mike Rann visited the Supaloc manufacturing facility in Elizabeth West to announce the joint venture in the Middle East.

After touring the plant and meeting with Supaloc staff, the Premier held a press conference to release the news of the forthcoming deal.

The press release was well attended, with camera crews from Channel 7 and Channel 10, as well as journalists from The Advertiser and ABC Radio. The Australian Financial Review carried the story on the day of the release.

 

July 2008 - Supaloc Goes International

Steel Building Systems, the manufacturer of Supaloc steel frames, recently announced a multi-million dollar joint venture into manufacturing plants in the Middle East.

SBS International Pty Ltd will construct the first facility in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with a further 8 to be constructed in the region by 2014.

All the machinery, tools, frames and chassis required for the manufacturing plants are built in South Australia. The complex software that controls all aspects of manufacture is also developed in-house. International expansion, therefore, will result in business growth and employment opportunities in South Australia.

The first plant in Abu Dhabi will be fast tracked operationally with a support team from Australia ramping production to 2 shifts per day within months after commissioning.

The 9 plants will create 10 million square metres of product per year, which is 5 times South Australia’s total market for residential construction of 2 million square metres per year.

To facilitate the project SBS has entered into negotiations with the State Government to purchase a ‘Green Fields’ industrial site at Elizabeth West. This site will allow future consolidation of all operations and allow the growing research and development expansion needed to allow new products to reach the market faster.