Maroc - TIMBERBIZ.COM.AU - A La Une - 03/Sep 00:58

Doors to defence

With Australia tipped to increase spending on defence, manufacturers are tooling up to supply projects nationally. Australian door manufacturer Specialty Doors is developing high performance acoustic and security door products to meet the growing demand. Source: Timberbiz Director of Specialty Doors, Marcus Bastiaan believes defence projects represent an opportunity for local manufacturers to develop category leading products. “Defence requires highly specified product, with a strong focus on performance. Manufacturers must test and prove their products, which leads to innovation with new materials and production processes,” he said. Specialty Doors is currently involved in supplying defence projects in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Each project requires a range of products to fulfil acoustic, security and fire rating standards, which according to Mr Bastiaan will provide ongoing benefit to manufacturing businesses and the construction industry. “Learning more about the practical strength and limitations of materials creates new knowledge, which in turn improves the product offering for the domestic construction industry,” Mr Bastiaan said. He highlights the link between an increase in global insecurity and a growing demand for greater security features in residential projects. “We have made more internal steel plate doors in the last twelve months, than we have made in the past 4 years. Demand is coming from defence and the residential sector.” Specialty Doors security grade doors are manufactured in accordance with SCEC requirements and can be designed to withstand bullets and blasts. While the doors internal construction is a mix of steel and dampening materials, the exterior is often timber or veneer. Marcus Bastiaan says this unassuming exterior lends itself to domestic settings. “Our customers want to know they are safe behind their front door, but they don’t necessarily want to tell the whole street about it,” Mr Bastiaan said. Secure entry systems are built to Australian standards governed by the Security Construction and Equipment Committee, which is a standing inter-departmental committee within the Australian Government. The standard provides a framework for materials and performance criteria required for products to qualify for tenders. Mr Bastiaan sees Australia’s high standard of building products as a competitive advantage for manufactures looking to export. “Australian products are recognise as class leaders, the more domestic manufactures innovate to meet standards the greater our chances of finding markets in the United States and Europe,” he said.