“As a manufacturer, CSR plays an important role in supporting local jobs through its factories and distribution sites located across metro and regional locations in Australia, employing over 2,500 people,” says Julie Coates, managing director of CSR Limited.
By keeping key elements of its supply chain local, the company has also been well placed to navigate the disruptions of COVID-19.
“CSR has performed well during the last two years of the pandemic, as the company owns many of its key raw materials. This reduced its reliance on international supply chains and ensured our ability to deliver for 18,000 customers,” Coates says.
Founded in 1855, CSR has a rich history and has long been a local manufacturing success story, producing a range of products in Australia. Today, it is a leading building products company in Australia and New Zealand, and the name behind some of the market’s most trusted and recognised brand names.
CSR’s Australian made products include Gyprock plasterboard, Bradford insulation, Monier roof tiles, PGH bricks, Cemintel fibre cement, Hebel Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (ACC) panels, AFS permanent formwork and Martini acoustic insulation products. The company has developed a reputation for being trusted by professionals, and its products are used throughout the nation, in Australian homes, schools and hospitals, as well as the wider community.
“CSR is building solutions for a better future for our customers by investing in new building systems to reduce construction time and deliver better energy efficiency, comfort and design. We’re also delivering for our people and the environment by creating a safe, diverse and sustainable place to work and grow.”
CSR is the name behind many well-known products used throughout the construction industry. CSR Hebel, for example, is Australia’s only manufacturer of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) panels and blocks for facades, internal walls and floors. The product provides excellent acoustic and insulation benefits and can be used in everything from houses to apartments and utilities infrastructure. Hebel is a versatile building product used in a range of applications and is known for its ease and speed of installation. The product is also valued for marrying superior insulation qualities with high sustainability values.
In a major milestone for CSR, in 2019 the company completed work on a new $75 million Hebel manufacturing plant at Somersby, on the New South Wales central coast.
“This is a huge step forward for Hebel, doubling its production capacity,” Coates says. “The new plant brings world class engineering built through key partners in Australia and internationally, which can now drive efficiency in manufacturing systems and be even more responsive to customers, developing new products and solutions.”
Gyprock plasterboard is another key CSR product. Gyprock pioneered plasterboard in 1947 and transformed the building industry in Australia with the introduction of paper-faced plasterboard. Today, Gyprock continues to drive innovation, influencing trends in the home design, commercial and architectural space for walls and ceilings. Gyprock produces hundreds of products each year in its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across Australia.
Meanwhile, Bradford is Australia’s leading supplier of insulation and includes acoustic control and energy-saving products for homes and commercial buildings. Their products are designed for comfort and energy efficiency.
Ultimately, CSR’s leading range of building products and systems serve a broad range of construction segments, and Coates notes the company is driving innovation across the sector.
“Our products are backed by technical expertise across building technology, compliance, energy efficiency and architectural design. CSR continues to invest in new solutions to reduce construction design and improve the comfort and design of homes and buildings.”
