Sustainable Infrastructure Systems, InfraCore sign licensing deal
A local manufacturer plans to open a new production centre for environmentally friendly bridges, walkways and other infrastructure using cutting-edge Dutch technology.
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South Australian manufacturer Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (SIS) and Dutch company InfraCore have signed a new licence agreement that is expected to create 25 jobs at a new centre of production in Adelaide.
Under the deal, the production of environmentally friendly lightweight structures, including bridges and jetties, will be built at a new facility in the northern suburbs and will be distributed and installed across the Oceania region.
More than 1000 structures – from pedestrian walkways to high-volume traffic and harbour bridges – have been installed across Europe, China and the US using an innovative material known as fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP).
The composite material enables the construction of lightweight and strong structures spanning up to 36m, with a 100-year design life and maintenance-free system.
InfraCore builds bridges and other structures in its factory in Rotterdam and delivers them prefabricated to construction sites across the world.
Former Transport Department general manager Luigi Rossi, who has overseen some of SA’s biggest infrastructure projects, joined SIS in 2019 and is managing the company’s FRP program.
He said while foam would initially be used in the production process, the company planned to introduce recycled plastic and bio-resins into manufacturing within 18 months in order to deliver substantial environmental benefits.
Mr Rossi said the cutting-edge technology would be a game-changer in the way bridges and other structures were manufactured and installed across the Oceania region.
“This also is about reflecting the company’s ethos – to take environmental sustainability to another level in infrastructure,” he said.
Mr Rossi said SIS was in early negotiations around securing a suitable site in Adelaide’s north, while seed funding had been secured to get the facility off the ground.
Talks are also under way with potential commercial partners to fast-track the project’s expansion across Australia and New Zealand.
“This will significantly reduce freight costs and lead times for our clients and will also revolutionise the way bridges are manufactured and installed in our region,” Mr Rossi said.
The manufacturing licence agreement between SIS and InfraCore was signed at the Netherlands embassy in Canberra last week.
InfraCore chief executive Simon de Jong said the agreement would have a “huge impact on the future of bridge building in Australia and New Zealand”, while Dutch ambassador Marion Derckx said it demonstrated how “significant employment and growth opportunities can be achieved through innovation”.
“As like-minded cultures, the enterprise symbolises Dutch ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region for future international collaborations,” Ms Derckx said.
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