James Hardie, producer and marketer of high-performance fibre cement and fibre gypsum building solutions, has celebrated the start of construction of its new manufacturing facility with a ceremony in Truganina, Melbourne.
James Hardie acknowledges the Kulin nation as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and pays respect to Elders past and present.
The Melbourne site will be the company’s fourth site in the Asia Pacific region, better enabling James Hardie and its key customers to service the growing demand for high-value building solutions in fast-growing markets across Australia and New Zealand.
Upon completion, the site is expected to generate up to 200 full-time jobs. In addition to this, the new facility will generate an average of 250 jobs per day during construction, with up to 500 during peak construction activity.
Working with leading industrial architectural designer Watson Young, Logos will develop the facility on behalf of James Hardie. The site is estimated to be fully operational by 2025.
Commenting on the new facility, John Arneil, general manager of APAC, stated, “This investment is part of James Hardie’s global strategic capacity expansion program to build capacity and meet rising market demand. The Melbourne site will help build a sustainable community in Victoria through its local sourcing and job creation whilst directly delivering James Hardie’s high value products to key growth markets both locally and internationally.”
Darren Searle, head of ANZ Logos, said: “James Hardie’s high value building products are relied upon throughout the world. We look forward to working with an iconic Australian manufacturer and delivering a state-of-the-art facility for the local and international market.”
City of Melton mayor Cr Goran Kesic said: “We welcome James Hardie to the City of Melton. As one of Australia’s fastest growing cities, it’s brands like this that will strengthen the local economy and help ensure more local families can find work close to home. We look forward to seeing this business make the most of our skilled local workforce, and our unique position as a busy freight corridor for Victoria and Australia.”
