The Sydney Opera House will play host to a very special celebration this November.
Individuals who have been part of the Australian precast concrete industry’s peak body for the past quarter century will gather at the Sydney landmark to commemorate their achievements.
For 25 years, National Precast Concrete Association Australia has been a central driving force within the Australian industry. Past and present members, old and new, will attend the prestigious dinner at Sydney Opera House, 10 November this year.
Roads & Civil Works Magazine talks to Sarah Bachmann, the Association’s current Chief Executive Officer, about the history of the organisation and how it has played a crucial role in the development of the Australian precast concrete industry.
Early beginnings
The organisation evolved out of a New South Wales-based group – the Precast Concrete Manufacturers’ Association – when its board recognised the need to establish a national industry body.
Ivor Jones came on board as the Association’s first CEO in December 1989. Mr. Jones was succeeded by Brian Mallon in 1998, who held the role until December 2003, when Ms. Bachmann took over.
Since its inception, National Precast has been an essential cog in raising the profile of the precast concrete industry and promoting these products as a viable and cost-effective solution for many civil, construction and infrastructure projects around the country.
Ms. Bachmann says while there has been an increase in demand for precast concrete solutions in civil construction, there have been some hurdles to overcome over these past 25 years.
“We’re constantly trying to encourage the construction industry to understand the benefits of using more precast that is manufactured off site in purpose-built factories,” she says. “In civil construction you will sometimes see major projects using a precast yard that’s been set up on site, but frankly, that’s not best practice.”
She explains that the benefits of a controlled factory environment far outweigh any production efficiencies of casting on site.
“The manufacturing technology is constantly changing. The professionals are professionals for a reason – that’s all they do, they’ve perfected manufacturing practices in so many ways. It has benefits in cost-savings, risk management, scheduling, quality, durability and safety,” she says.
National Precast has been at the forefront of promoting the benefits of precast concrete manufacturing to the wider Australian construction sector. Part of its success comes down to the collective knowledge and experience it has accumulated and fostered, much of which has been published in the Association’s exhaustive handbook on all things precast, the Precast Concrete Handbook.
“We also have an ongoing challenge to communicate to precasters who are not involved in the organisation that they need to be part of it so they can contribute and be involved with driving the industry. Together we can achieve so much more,” states Ms. Bachmann. “When standards change, our members are up to speed and compliant. We can’t say the same for other precasters who aren’t involved. We all need to be working together to improve quality, efficiency and the regulations around what we do.”
A sustainable product
Sustainability has become a major driving force within this sector in the past quarter of a century, and National Precast has not shied away from pushing this message. “We’ve been key in educating people about precast and promoting it as a sustainable solution. We’ve certainly raised the profile of precast among the broader construction and design industry in that context,” asserts Ms. Bachmann.
“Precast is relevant for all three facets of sustainability – society, economy and environment. Our members are delivering long-lasting, durable products that are cost-effective and meet environmental needs.”
Sustainability goes hand-in-hand with new technology and practices, and Ms. Bachmann says within the industry they have witnessed change in both the technology and what the industry offers as a result.
“Over the past 25 years we’ve seen growth of concepts such as Green Star and a much bigger approach to replace cement with supplementary cementitious materials, such as slag or fly ash. The concrete mixes used in today’s precast have become finely balanced high-tech recipes, to ensure quality and fit-for-purpose outcomes.
“All the advancements in manufacturing technology have resulted in precasters producing a quality product that uses less concrete and less steel. There is also heavy emphasis on recycling products and zero waste,” she says. “We’ve seen fundamental changes in other areas as well, which have increased the design options that are available. There are more alternatives to the traditional colour finishes available. Form liners, staining and graphic concrete are three examples, all of which are now readily available in Australia and able to be applied easily in the factory before delivery to site,” says Ms. Bachmann.
Another technological milestone entering the market is photocatalytic coatings. These are coatings that use titanium dioxide to self-clean the concrete’s surface. They also have wide environmental benefits as they combat pollution and purify the air.
Ms. Bachmann says that advancements like these have enabled both the Association and its members to build a well-respected profile in the country.
Stable leadership plays a role
Ms. Bachmann says a major credit to the integrity and stability of the Association is the fact that only three individuals have held the position of CEO over the past 25 years.
Further to that, two founding board members – Ian Coulter from Brisbane-based Precast Concrete Products and Matt Perrella from Delta Corporation in Western Australia – are still on the organisation’s board today.
“It’s a big milestone for them. Along with a handful of others, including John Burke, Godfrey Smith, Athol Gudgeon, John Kehoe, Phil Hereen, Wrix Gasteen, David Lindsay and Ivor Jones as CEO, Mr. Perrella and Mr. Coulter were instrumental in kicking off what is now a national organisation for the Australian precast industry.”
During her almost 13 years as CEO, Ms. Bachmann has seen the organisation grow exponentially, and reflects that the achievements it has made within the industry need to be commended. “I’m immensely proud of what we’ve all achieved and what we’re continuing to achieve. The biggest part of this is the depth and breadth of our work. Today, we are heavily involved in representing the industry across a lot of forums, including the review and development of Australian Standards. We advocate for members to state and national authorities and we have a big promotional agenda. We’re absolutely punching above our weight and our resource base,” she says.
“We’re about to ramp up our resources to do more for our members and the industry, which is only going to culminate in an even greater market share for the precast sector with some great sustainability benefits to the construction sector as a whole.”