Oct 25 2005
Boral Australian Gypsum Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boral Limited, is to relocate its Brisbane plasterboard manufacturing and distribution base to a new, larger site close to the Brisbane River in the suburb of Pinkenba, at a net investment cost of around $106 million.
"Plasterboard is a growing product of strategic importance to Boral and the Queensland market has favourable longer term potential driven by population growth and a strong resource sector", its CEO Rod Pearse said. "This investment helps to ensure we have the right supply infrastructure in place nationally. Our current site in the suburb of Northgate is simply not big enough to accommodate expansion whereas the new site will allow us to grow the business locally and elsewhere and to respond more rapidly to changes in market demand", he added.
Facilities at the new site will be fully integrated, starting from receipt of the key raw material, gypsum, directly from bulk ships which cuts on-going operating costs and takes gypsum trucks off the road. More extensive finished product warehousing and distribution infrastructure will support deliveries to bulk and trade customers.
"Plasterboard capacity will be 40mil m2 p.a., almost double that at the current site. This facility will deliver state-of-the-art energy efficiency, automation and product quality", says Ross Batstone, Executive General Manager, Boral Plasterboard. "It will also provide best practice water re-use to reduce our dependency on public water resources. These features, combined with gypsum handling direct from ship to plant, create a long term, low cost position with a sound environmental footprint", he added.
The new site will be leased from the Port of Brisbane Corporation. Development applications have been lodged and construction is to commence prior to Christmas. The new manufacturing facility is expected to be fully operational before October 2007, at which time the Northgate site will close and be readied for re-development.
"We wish to acknowledge the help given by Queensland State Government in preparing this important project and look forward to working with them through to its successful completion", said Rod Pearse.
http://www.boral.com.au/