History
Founded in Victoria in 1961, the Company commenced trading as BBR Australia Pty Ltd. The first project the Company undertook was the supply and installation of rock anchors for the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Listed on the Australian Stock Exchange as Structural Systems Limited in 1987 and now almost fifty years on from the first project, the organisation has grown from a small privately owned specialist post-tensioning company to a diverse international contractor with approximately 1,100 employees worldwide and having revenue in excess of $300 million for the 2009 financial year.
Operations
The Company's head office is located in South Melbourne, Victoria, and manages its operations within Australia from offices in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Kalgoorlie and Townsville. Internationally the Company has offices in Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain and has recently opened an office in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Companies within the Structural Systems Group are Structural Systems (Northern), Structural Systems (Southern), Structural Systems (Construction), Structural Systems (Western), Structural Systems (Civil), Structural Systems (Bridge Maintenance), Refobar Australia, Meridian Concrete Australia, ROCK Australia, NASA Structural Systems and SSL Structural Systems (Africa).
Structural Systems have been involved in the design and construction of many iconic projects over the years including Centrepoint Tower & Stadium Australia in Sydney, Eleanor Schonell Bridge in Brisbane, Colonial Stadium & Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne and the Emirates Tower in Dubai.
The Company's operations are comprised of five operating divisions: Post-Tensioning, Construction, Civil, Remedial and Mining Services. Additionally, the Company also has a Major Projects department that provides support to these divisions for large scale or technically complex projects.
Post-Tensioning
Structural Systems are one of the market leaders in post-tensioning technology. Post-Tensioning is a method of reinforcing (strengthening) concrete or other materials with high-strength steel strands. The benefits post-tensioning brings to a structure include large open plan, column free floor spaces. The technology reduces the amount of conventional reinforcement and concrete required thus delivering a more economical and environmentally friendly solution. The division's manufacturing arm, Refobar Australia, makes componentry for the post-tensioning industry including bar chairs, oval and flat duct and barrels and wedges. The Company is committed to improving the standard of design and construction in the post-tensioning industry and is a founding corporate member of the Post-Tensioning Institute of Australia Limited.
Civil
The Civil division provides construction techniques and services to a wide range of Clients and projects including:
- Incremental launching of bridges across rivers, railways and motorways
- Ground anchors to strengthen dam walls and anchor down wind farm towers
- Heavy lifting of stadium roofs, control towers and water bowls up to 2,200T
- Slipforming and post-tensioning of LNG and LPG storage tanks
- Slipforming and post-tensioning of offshore concrete gravity structures
- Slipforming and post-tensioning of water, cement, alumina and clinker storage silos
- Cable stays for bridges and stadiums
- Strengthening existing bridge structures for updated design loading requirements, including bearing replacement
- Construction engineering services for balanced cantilever, segmental and span-by-span bridge construction
Mining Services
The Company's Mining and Civil Services division, ROCK Australia, is a specialist provider of supply and contracting services to mining and civil projects throughout Australasia. ROCK's current client list includes BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Newcrest Mining, Barrick Gold, Mt Gibson Iron, QLD Rail, QLD Road and Bovis Lend Lease. Committed to operational excellence through safety, quality, innovation and efficiency, ROCK's services include:
- Drilling
- Blasting
- Geotechnical
- Environmental
- Technical Access
- Manufacture & Supply
- Movement & Survey Radar
Construction
The Company's Construction division provides its services as a package, or as individual elements depending on the requirements of its Clients. With the acquisition of Meridian Concrete in November 2007 the division is able to deliver a full design and construct structure package service in-house. Meridian Concrete is the largest provider of concrete services in Victoria. The range of activities provided by this division include:
- Concrete supply and placement
- Excavation
- Reinforcement supply and placement
- Formwork
Remedial
The Remedial division offers a range of specialist construction services to property owners and managers, local authorities, designers, contractors and mining companies. Offering technology such as remedial diagnosis, strengthening, waterproofing, repair, rehabilitation and protection for a variety of structures including:
- High-rise buildings (facade and structural elements)
- Buildings and monuments (heritage listed)
- Marine structures, including offshore facilities
- Civil engineering structures including bridges and concrete pavements
- Industrial and manufacturing plants
- Airport structures
Technology & Partnerships
Structural Systems is the sole franchisee of the BBR licensed system in the countries in which it operates. BBR is recognized as the leading group of specialist engineering contractors in the field of post-tensioning, stay cable and related construction engineering. BBR technologies have been applied to a vast array of structures - such as bridges, buildings, cryogenic LNG tanks, dams, marine structures, nuclear power stations, retaining walls, tanks/silos, towers, tunnels, wastewater-treatment plants, water reservoirs and wind farms. The BBR specialist equipment range includes Pot bearings, Cona HiAm and Dina systems which are recognised worldwide.
ROCK Australia is the appointed partner of the Reutech Radar system for the supply, hire and support of the MSR 300 (Movement & Surveying Radar) for Australasia. ROCK works in partnership with Geobrugg as the preferred installer of rock fall protection and slope stabilisation systems. ROCK is the exclusive distributor of the Menzi Muck all terrain walking excavators. ROCK recently developed and patented the ROCK MESHATM system. The ROCK MESHATM system is a fully mechanised roll mesh handler unit for use in underground surface supports. The system is compatible and can be retro fitted to all standard multiboom underground drilling equipment. This system offers significant cost and safety benefits over current practices.
Structural Systems is also the exclusive representative for Macalloy 1030 bar in Australia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
The Company has an extensive plant and equipment pool to draw from. These assets include slipform climbing formwork equipment, Eberspacher bridge hydraulic launching equipment and Ishebeck modular formwork systems.
