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Spantec: Making Building Easy for 30 Years
SPANTEC: MAKING BUILDING EASY FOR OVER 30 YEARS
SPANTEC IS A LEADING INNOVATOR OF LIGHT STRUCTURAL STEEL BEAMS AND STEEL FLOORING SYSTEMS. SINCE THE COMPANY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1991, IT HAS HAD MANY FIRSTS; SPANTEC PIONEERED STEEL FLOORING SYSTEMS IN AUSTRALIA, AS WELL AS THE USE OF ADJUSTABLE STEEL PIERS UNDER SUB-FLOORS, AND WAS THE FIRST COMPANY TO LAUNCH A LIGHT STRUCTURAL STEEL BEAM IN THE HOME IMPROVEMENT MARKET.
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According to Grant Irvine (General Manager, Spantec), "The company was started by Roy Beaumont back in 1991 in Sydney. Roy saw the need for a timber alternative to assist the DIY and owner-builder market. Roy wanted to create a system that homeowners could put together themselves—a system that was durable and simple to install. When Spantec was first established, we focused predominantly on our flooring, which is lightweight, termite resistant, and easy to use on all types of sites."
Spantec's foundation product was Boxspan®. A rollformed beam manufactured from two C-shaped sections of Z450 high tensile, zinc coated steel, Boxspan® mechanically locks together with a patented process. The result is a 40% to 60% lighter beam with the strength of steel and the versatility of timber. This unique system provides the benefits of a full protective zinc coating on the inside and outside of the beam. Boxspan® beams can substitute timber in many structural applications, such as sub-floors, decks and roof frames, without the concern of termites.
"Since the early 1990s, Spantec has become the leading innovator in lightweight structural beams and steel flooring systems, through automation and innovative design that constantly improves our products," said Irvine.
"In 1996, to support our Boxspan® system, we launched EzipierTM. The range of pier heads suit specific bearer arrangements and locations in a floor to make installation as seamless as possible. The result is a pier system that is easy to assemble, can be adjusted with just a spanner, and helps people to get their floors absolutely level. EzipierTM works in conjunction with Boxspan®, but also supports timber, purlins and the like—it's a universal product."
"Out of that came EzibraceTM—our high capacity sub-floor bracing system. We set out to simplify our sub-floor bracing because the alternative bracing components we'd used over the years were slow to install and expensive to buy."
"In 2006, we developed a second beam—Colorbeam®—and evolved the riveting process so that the galvanized beam could be powder coated in any colour and used in architectural applications," said Irvine.
"Within the factory, we've always looked at innovation and automation to improve the floor system, boost efficiencies, reduce costs and make the products more economical for people to use."
"With the lack of timber in the market and skilled labour shortages, builders are looking for innovative products that can reduce time, labour and waste on site. Builders are looking for a point of difference for their clients, as well as flame, flood and termite resistant building materials. Our products offer all these advantages," said Irvine.
Engineering specification of wall studs for Sydney Metro. Sub-floor on a sloping site for an architecturally designed home.
Large deck at height in the Blue Mountains.
MORE THAN FLOORS
Today, Spantec offers much more than a flooring system. Their durable, lightweight beams can be used in a variety ways, from lintels and rafters, through to purlins and commercial applications such as high kPa flooring and decking systems in data centres and schools.
Spantec's beams have also been used as structural wall framing on which steel cladding façades can be hung. Recent project examples include the Metro Tunnel in Sydney and the Sydney Fresh Food Markets.
Spantec also offers a full design service. "You can purchase our system two ways. Through our design service so that the entire system is engineered and made to order. We can use architectural plans or—even better— CAD drawings, measure everything up and cut to length. On piers, on framework, on a sub-floor, we can design everything using architectural plans. Or, you can buy the beams in lengths and cut them up yourself," said Irvine.
"We also deliver a fair bit of customer training. When larger customers like hardware stores, distributors, and large builders come ob-board, we go out to their premises so we can train groups of their staff on how to use and install everything."
"And, of course, we also provide technical advice. We have an R&D team that is constantly developing our products, and available to provide advice when customers need information about things that go outside of our standard details," said Irvine. All these services are delivered from Spantec's 30,000m2 facilities in Mittagong, in New South Wales' Southern Highlands. With several undercover areas already in operation, Spantec is currently building two more factory complexes to support their expanding business.
"Our facilities are fairly modern. In particular, when it comes to automation and software applications, we’re state of the art. The proprietary software we use on the floor has all been developed in-house."
"In terms of machinery, we have two rollformers, which are fairly standard. However, one has a riveting system on the end and the other has a notching system on the end. We developed these two systems and own the IP— they are what stitch the beams together. We’ve also incorporated several robots into our materials handling system," said Irvine.
However, it's not the automation or the cutting-edge software that make Spantec so successful. As Irvine described, "It's our people that make us successful."
"We have a very low staff turnover, which means the team is highly experienced—their expertise and service is often praised by customers as being exceptional. We provide a flexible, family-friendly environment where people want to come and work."
A BRIGHT FUTURE
Spantec is set for growth, with the launch of an exciting new product on the horizon. "We’re extending and expanding, investing back into the business. At the moment, we've got a new rollformer on the way and we're increasing our automation capabilities with new robots going into the lines. All this improves efficiency, as well as safety by taking the weight out of the materials handling process," said Irvine.
"We're also adding a new product to our line: a parallel chord truss or open web truss made out of BlueScope's TrueCore® steel. While we've always had beams for a ground floor or sub-floor, we haven’t had a suitable beam for upper floors."
"In the inner-city residential market, blocks are very small, so everyone has an upper floor. Spantec is creating a beam that can support an upper storey floor and comes with the cavity needed to house all the usual services."
"Before we release the product to market, we want to streamline the connection details as much as possible. We've applied our innovation and automation mindset to remove a lot of labour from its assembly process, making it more economical. We're hopeful to have it on offer in the new year," said Irvine.
