Grace Celebrates Opening of Australian Facility

W. R. Grace & Co. is celebrating the official grand opening of a new facility in Epping, Australia. Employees at this location support construction customers in Australia, New Zealand and the surrounding Pacific Islands with manufacturing operations, research and development activities and technical services.

The products produced onsite include concrete admixtures used in commercial, institutional and residential construction, and additives used in cement processing to improve energy efficiency and enhance the characteristics of the finished product.

The site also houses corporate administrative functions, such as human resources, information technology and finance, and warehousing for Grace's Materials Technologies product group. The facility is in line with Grace's business strategy to invest around the world and improve efficiencies among Grace's businesses.

Attending a ceremonial ribbon cutting today are members of the company's leadership team, including Grace's Chairman, President and CEO Fred Festa and key customers.

The facility is expected to enhance communications and productivity by bringing employees together that had previously been located at separate offices within the same city. The laboratory areas have state-of-the-art equipment that removes manual-intensive processes. Overall, the facility has an enhanced layout that improves access, product quality and inventory controls.

Andrew Bonham, President, Grace Construction Products, remarked, "This facility incorporates best practices learned at other Grace sites and affords us several opportunities. We are now better situated to meet the needs of our customers with a significant local resource that translates to improved processes, greater ability for joint work and enhanced safety."

Shane Jenner,General Manager - Australia & New Zealand, Grace Construction Products, said, "In opening this facility, we are not only positioned for today's business needs but have the ability to expand our technical capabilities for greater testing and to run extended manufacturing production, up to 24 hours a day, to meet customer and industry needs."

Source: W. R. Grace & Co.