Standing the test of time
HANSSEN WESTERN AUSTRALIA’S MOST TRUSTED SUPPLIER Plasterboard, Building systems, Wall and Ceiling materials and Quality tools and accessories. WA Direct stocks a vast range of materials which includes BGC’s GTEK™ plasterboard products, Knauf Earthwool Insulation, Studco Metal Building Systems, BGC Fibre Cement, AMF Ceiling Panels and Hume doors. WA Direct Plasterboard is a family owned and operated business specialising in the provision of plasterboard and building materials throughout Western Australia. WA DIRECT IS A MAJOR DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE LOCALLY MANUFACTURED GTEK™ RANGE OF PREMIUM QUALITY PLASTERBOARDS. For more information contact WA Direct at 250 Welshpool Rd, Welshpool WA 6106 (08) 9458 2965 admin@directplasterboard.com.au
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA GTEK™ Wall is an interior wall lining system for residential and commercial applications. GTEK™ Curve is a thin flexible plasterboard that can be used to create curves on interior walls and ceilings. GTEK™ Ceiling is a 10mm plasterboard sheet designed specifically for ceiling use. GTEK™ Cornice adds exciting finishing touches to interior wall and ceiling joints. GTEK™ Fire is used in fire-rated systems, consisting of single or multiple board layers. GTEK™ Fire & Wet Area is used in wet areas governed by fire resistance limitations (FRLs). GTEK™ Wet Area is a water-resistant plasterboard for walls in wet areas. GTEK™ Sound is high-density plasterboard specifically designed to reduce unwanted noise. GTEK™ Impact is ideal for high-traffic areas where walls are subjected to regular stress. GTEK™ Total Plus offers market-leading fire, water, sound and impact resistance. All GTEK™ plasterboards are manufactured with an advanced fire-resistant core, which can significantly slow down the spread of flames and reduce the amount of smoke produced during a fire. WA Direct proudly supplied the full range of GTEK™ plasterboards and accessories to these more recent Hanssen projects: AT238, Civic Heart and the Aurora. gtekplasterboard.com.au (08) 9374 2900 For more information contact GTEK™ Plasterboard at 290 Bushmead Road, Hazelmere, WA 6055 GTEK™ Plasterboard range:
Established over 70 years ago, WA Direct is proud to have grown to become one of Western Australia’s most trusted suppliers of plasterboard, building systems, wall and ceiling materials and quality tools and accessories. From their humble beginnings in 1950, they have evolved to employ over 40 staff with branches in Welshpool and Kalgoorlie. Their dedicated team ensures that every customer receives the very best service and advice. And with a fleet of 15 trucks at their disposal, they are also able to deliver goods anywhere, anytime. For over three decades, WA Direct has been a major distributor for the locally-manufactured GTEK™ range of premium quality plasterboards. GTEK™ plasterboards are recognised for their strength and versatility that can be tailored to meet the specific needs for both commercial and residential projects. Over the years, WA Direct and GTEK™ Plasterboard have cultivated a steadfast partnership rooted in professionalism, reliability, industry expertise, and staff proactiveness. This collaborative spirit, coupled with exceptional communication, mutual respect, and unwavering support, has paved the way for outstanding customer outcomes. Overall, WA Direct is a valued partner of BGC Plasterboard, and both companies benefit from their strong relationship. As the largest plasterboard manufacturer in WA, BGC Plasterboard ensures a consistent and reliable supply of plasterboard products, meeting WA Direct's demanding needs and minimizing stockouts. This means that WA Direct can always count on having the plasterboard they need in stock, even during peak demand periods. BGC Plasterboard stock holding capacity provides distributors with a competitive edge, allowing them to always offer their customers high-quality, reliable, and sustainable building solutions. HANSSEN
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Hanssen is Western Australia’s largest apartment builder specialising in high-rise buildings. Since forming in Perth over 30 years ago, they have completed more than 6,000 apartments, they have grown into a 56,000-squaremetre head office and yard facility, and they have come to employ approximately 600 highly-trained, multi-skilled team members. Under the continued leadership and vision of Gerry Hanssen, company founder and executive director, the company is still growing to this day – and as they grow, they are committed to improving. Their goal is to stay ahead of their developers through the development and implementation of unique working and training models, to continue training the next generation of tradies, workers, and builders, and to continue building the most economical and efficient highrise residential apartment developments in the state. “For more than three decades, Hanssen has worked diligently to become specialists in the management and construction of large-scale building developments,” says Darren Linton, Managing Director. “This is achieved with effective co-ordination and co-operation, working together for the best outcome of the project.” “Over the years, our company has been instrumental in shaping the WA landscape through our unique, highquality developments, which has helped cement our reputation as Perth’s building company of choice.” That industry reputation, Darren explains, has been hard-earned, and the team at Hanssen doesn’t take it for granted. When Gerry Hanssen set up the company 30 years ago, he spoke to a construction lawyer who advised him that only five per cent of registered builders last 20 years in the industry. In the years since, the industry has only gotten more challenging, which makes Hanssen’s longevity “a great achievement.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA
“We’ve stood the test of time,” Darren says. “We’re still here today and we still have so much more room to improve.” When Hanssen started, the company comprised three people working out of a small office in South Perth. As the years progressed, they expanded first into Burswood, and later to Belmont, where they started doing their fabrication and manufacturing. In 2013, they finally moved to their current 56,000-squaremetre facility in Hazelmere, where they still operate from today. They now primarily build in the Perth inner city area, but they have completed projects from Mandurah, to Hazelmere, to the northwest in Karratha. Over the years, as Hanssen has grown in size, they have also grown in terms of their service offering and capabilities. Today, they are “a true builder,” Darren says, “in the sense that we own a large amount of material, plant, machinery, scaffolding, and even tower cranes.” Today, Hanssen is equipped with their own precast and BubbleDeck factory (more on that later), window factory, steel fabrication, and in-house mechanics to service and maintain all their plant and equipment. They also have their own design team, which includes architects, engineers, and drafters – and that team works closely with Hanssen’s site teams and the teams in their factories. Speaking of site teams, Hanssen also employs a roster of service teams – with plumbing, electrical, communications, mechanical, and HVAC capabilities, all under one roof. Again, those teams work closely with the company’s design team, which enables early design collaboration, which often results in more optimized solutions and cost-savings for their solutions. “Although it is more responsibility, having all these areas in house enables us to have more control,” Darren explains. “Rather than working individually or against each other, we co-operate and resolve issues quickly which in turn allows us to build more efficiently.” HANSSEN
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Earlier this year, Hanssen completed work on ‘AT238,’ which is a 32-storey highrise complex with 121 luxury apartment units, located in the heart of East Perth’s historical hub. According to Darren, it was “one of the most challenging projects in our time,” as it commenced during the height of COVID and the start of the associated labour and material issues. “This forced us to change and adapt, looking for alternative products and other means of finding skilled workers,” Darren recalls. “We still managed to finish in less than two years and deliver a project which was a finalist in the ‘High-Rise’ category at the UDIA awards. Considering reported issues with other residential housing projects taking up to three-tofour years to build, this was a great achievement from the management team and all involved.” Building opportunities HANSSEN
YEARS Following up on the success of that project, Hanssen currently has three more projects under construction, including ‘Civic Heart’ in South Perth, ‘Aurora’ in Applecross, and ‘The Point’ in Rivervale. Civic Heart is going to be the company’s largest project to date and the tallest building in Perth outside the CBD. It comprises two towers with the taller tower rising to 38 storeys, and both towers consisting of 324 combined units. The company expects to complete construction by mid-next-year, and then launch Aurora and The Point shortly after. “So next year will be a big year in completed new apartments, which is clearly a high priority with the Government as the supply of new dwellings is trending downwards,” Darren says. AT238 was developed by Finbar, one of Western Australia’s largest and most trusted apartment developers. Finbar is also the developer behind all three of Hanssen’s ongoing and upcoming projects. The project team on all those jobs also includes S.S. Chang Architects, one of Perth’s leading apartment designers. Hanssen has enjoyed longstanding relationships with both those companies: “We are a unique team that has worked together for over 25 years,” Darren says. “We coordinate, we co-operate, and we’re all driven by a common goal – which is providing better lifestyles and homes for our buyers.” “Working relationships are very important to Hanssen at all levels of our business,” he adds. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA
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“We also have longstanding relationships with trusted suppliers who have performed well for us over the years, and we understand it goes both ways. Post-COVID, during the times of materials shortages, we managed to not be impacted too greatly because we were working with suppliers who we have built trust with.” “We stand by three principles for great business: price, quality, and service,” he says. “When working with various companies, we always keep these three principles in mind.” Darren believes that enduring commitment is a big part of why a partner like Finbar continues the working relationship. He also says that other points of difference include: their meticulously-designed working guide; their history of award recognition; the way they empower and motivate their staff; and their use of the innovative BubbleDeck system in all their projects. Firstly, there’s the company’s working guide, known as the ‘Hanssen Standard Details’ (HSD). Using that guide, the company is able to educate workers with step-by-step instructions containing pictures and words, ensuring that every worker has the knowledge needed to do a job safely and efficiently, no matter their experience level. “Think of it as a complete set of IKEA instructions on how to build a building,” Darren says. “It’s a unique but simple manual that teaches safe and efficient procedures from everything from excavation, to hanging doors, to carpet install and landscaping – all the way to HANSSEN
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installing and dismantling our tower cranes.” “The HSD is issued to each worker – either as a soft copy on their phone or a hard copy on-site,” he continues. “This ensures tried-and-tested practices and materials are followed, and opinions and arguments are removed. The HSD is also continuously updated as new materials come to market or better methods are agreed upon.” As previously mentioned, that method of quality control has helped Hanssen earn a consistent stream of industry awards and accolades. Most recently, for example, they were a finalist at the 2023 Urban Development Industry of Australia (UDIA) Awards in the ‘High Density’ category for their work on AT238. That’s just one of many awards, commendations, and finalist nods that the company has received from the UDIA over the years. Hanssen has not only been recognized for the quality of their work, however. In 2021, they were also commended by ‘Ngalla Maya Aboriginal Employment Access,’ which is an Aboriginal corporation that seeks to provide education, employment and training services to the Aboriginal people of Western Australia. They recognized Hanssen for their support and employment of Aboriginal men and women. In 2019, Hanssen was also named ‘Host Employer of the Year’ at the Apprentice Employment Network Awards.” “In our time, we have trained over 1,500 apprentices in 30 HANSSEN
years,” Darren explains. “That’s an average of 50 a year.” Training apprentices at that volume, Darren adds, is a key part of how Hanssen has combated the industry’s ongoing labour shortage: “Hanssen gives everyone an opportunity and our system allows good people to come through. The question I receive the most recently was ‘how are you dealing with the labour shortage?’ Nearing our peak of 700 workers we have had to look outside the square and adapt to market conditions.” “A program which we are still running is giving selected exprisoners an opportunity to work and change their lives,” he adds. “Some of them are now leading hands in their area. We started this in 2018 with a small group. During COVID it really took off but our culture had to be right, our sites had to be drug and alcohol free and the support network had to be in place.” “We also approached a TAFE where Gerry did a presentation and offered engineering students who couldn’t get work an opportunity to work in our factory and design department. Funnily enough, these students couldn’t find work as they lacked experience – something too common in all workplaces.” Currently, Hanssen has close to 100 apprentices across all their sites and yard. Across the board they have a range of ages, from 16 to 85. Their last count of different nationalities was 60, and they also have above average female workers on their sites because they encourage more to join.” Darren admits there is a cost to all the training they do. He says they often hear others in the industry say that cost is prohibitive, that “you can’t afford to train.” Hanssen, however, takes the opposite view – “we say you can’t afford not to train.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA
Yet one more factor that sets Hanssen apart from their competitors is their aforementioned use of the BubbleDeck system in all their projects. BubbleDeck is a precast biaxial concrete floor system, which makes floor slabs lighter and stronger by incorporating large, hollow recycled plastic balls in a lattice of steel. Using BubbleDeck can make a building overall 30 per cent lighter – and lighter structures mean limitedto-no beams, larger columns spans, smaller footings or rafts, and the possibility of offsite manufacturing. BubbleDeck’s 100-per-centrecycled plastic air-filled balls also reduce the amount of nonstructural concrete required. For example, on Civic Heart alone it is saving up to 16,000 cubic metres of concrete. That means 2250 fewer concrete trucks heading to site and as a summary saving 4300 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Always improving HANSSEN
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Hanssen was the first company to introduce and use the BubbleDeck system in Australia and New Zealand. Moving forward, the company’s goal is to continue pursuing those kinds of innovations and to continue playing a leading role in their industry. “Against the odds of the market, we’re going to keep doing what we are doing,” Darren concludes. “Stay in our lane and always look at improving. The COVID years seem like a long dark tunnel but we always believed if we get to the other end, we will be a lot better for it. We are always loyal to Finbar and respect our history but we are not closed to new opportunities, if our goals align.” “We are aware of the number of building companies falling over Australia wide and the industry as a whole needed change,” he adds. “Hanssen is lucky to have a system that Gerry has created from 55 years’ experience in the industry.” “One of our previous goals was to build the tallest apartment building in WA. Now that has happened, it would be an honour to build the tallest building in WA in the future. So new doors are opening and we are excited to see what the future holds.” HANSSEN
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE AUSTRALIA For more on Hanssen, their story, their unique approach and capabilities, their past projects, their award recognition, and a lot more – including how to get in touch with Darren and his team – visit https://www.hanssen.com.au/
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