building products

​A new hub for the prefabricated construction industry was launched yesterday at an event in Melbourne.

​Construction materials company Adelaide Brighton and others are interested in Penrice Soda’s Angaston quarry.

Arrium’s CEO Andrew Roberts has criticised government support for local manufacturers.

​The ACCC has begun investigating the CFMEU over what Boral claims is an illegal boycott on Melbourne building sites.

​The effort by a Chinese company to 3D print ten basic-looking houses in 24 hours is being considered by those in the building industry.

China’s WinSun Decoration Design Engineering Co. has reportedly created 10 houses in a day using 3D printing.

Boral and CSR announced plans on Friday to merge their brick-making operations.

Boral’s CEO Mike Kane has said that failing to access coal seam gas in Australia will ensure that the manufacturing industry will have a “use-by” date.

Ipswich’s manufacturing sector has grown with yesterday’s opening of a new Holcim plant.

Makinex, a decade-old maker of construction products, launched its US operations at a trade show in Orlando this month.

Over the decade there has been an increase in anecdotal reports by business about non-conforming products, particularly in building and construction.

The CEO of building materials maker Boral, Mike Kane, has said that manufacturers are suffering badly from a lack of affordable energy.

Boral says that its $US1.6 billion plasterboard and ceilings JV with USG will strengthen its position across Asia, Australasia and the Middle East.

Building products makers Boral and USG have announced a joint venture, with Boral gaining $US 575 million in cash from the merger.

Boral has posted a $212 million loss for a year in which it made 800 redundancies, and has suggested further cuts would be necessary.

Building products maker James Hardie has reported a first quarter operating profit of $US52 million ($A56.91 million).

For most of us, ‘standards’ do not comes across as a particularly exciting area but in terms of the contributions product standards make, including in creating a fair and level playing field for Australian businesses, the issue is hugely important.

Near the end of the movie “Skyfall”, there’s a scene in which James Bond and M drive out of the city in a classic 1960 Aston Martin DB5, the distinctive silver Bond Car first used in Goldfinger in 1965. Later —and this is a slight spoiler — the car is shot full of holes with assault rifles and blown up with a helicopter.

Building products maker James Hardie’s net profit is down slightly, from $US 34.5 million to $US 30.7 in its quarterly results to March.

New Zealand may introduce a European-style compliance regime to ensure the quality of imported steel bolts and components used in construction is maintained.