Page 109 - Packaging News May-June 2021

MEMBER PROFILE
(L-R): Australis co-owners and brothers, Anthony and Peter Gustafson.
Australis expands with Precision acquisition
Australis Group has acquired Brisbane-based conveyor and stainless-steel fabricator, Precision Stainless Systems.
Higgins and Graham, who will remain in the business until at least December 2021, to ensure an effective handover and to maintain business continuity.
Peter Gustafson stressed that the Precision, Australis and Advance businesses will operate independently, but synergistically.
“The synergy between Australis, Precision and Advance revolves around the conveyor expertise that exists within each business,” explains Anthony Gustafson, Australis engineering director.
“But beyond that, each business has its own strengths and all of the businesses will leverage these strengths to better service their own, and each other’s customers with increased capabilities and better capacity for a wider geographic service delivery.”
Australis will bring its extensive robotics and automation expertise to the other businesses, allowing Precision and Advance to offer everything from basic automation capabilities through to full turnkey robotic solutions, rather than having to rely heavily on third parties for these capabilities.
The addition of Precision to the group allows for a greater push into the fresh food market, especially in the meat and abattoir sectors, and further increases the scale of local manufacturing capabilities by bringing its Darra facility into the group.
“This couples nicely with the 2020 acquisition of Advance that added low-cost roller conveyors, component supply and fabrication, and which are used in so many of the projects across the Group,” says Gustafson.
“This will benefit each business individually, and in turn, our clients through better response times.”
Additionally, by adding Precision’s Brisbane location, Profilium will soon be able to offer local Queensland stock of t-slot aluminium profile and accessories to its large and growing Queensland client list. ■
The acquisition expands the operations of the Australis Group of engineering and conveyor related businesses, co-owned by Sydney-based brothers Peter and Anthony Gustafson and their parents.
Precision specialises in the steel fabrication of conveyors, machinery and equipment for food and beverage manufacturers and non-food FMCG goods, such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, batteries, pet foods and chemicals.
Founded in 1996 by partners Trevor Higgins and Jeff Graham, the company has earned a reputation for manufacturing high-quality equipment, especially in the meat, raw foods and beverage sectors.
Precision supports the ‘Made in Australia’ philosophy, manufacturing all of its machinery at its facility in Darra, Brisbane, where it primarily focuses on servicing the Queensland, NSW and Northern Territory markets.
Precision will be the newest addition to the Australis Group, which already includes Australis Engineering – known for its conveyors, pallet handling, and robotics and automation capabilities; Profilium – which offers t-slot aluminium profiles
and linear guides, and with representation in Sydney and Melbourne; and Advance Conveyors – which specialises in conveyor systems, notably roller conveyors and components.
According to Peter Gustafson, managing director, Australis, the opportunity to purchase Precision was too good to pass-up.
“Precision have built an outstanding reputation for high quality fabrication of conveyors and other stainless structures, such as special purpose processing equipment, tanks, walkways, platforms, troughs and other equipment,” Gustafson says.
“Their reputation in the fresh meat and food sectors means they have seen outstanding results over a long period of time.
“Their Queensland presence, coupled with their strong conveyor expertise offers a strong synergies with the other businesses in the Australis Group.”
Australis plans to keep the Brisbane manufacturing facility operating as usual, and will retain all Precision employees. Gustafson will take up the role of group managing director.
Recruitment for a Precision general manager has commenced and the incumbent will work closely with
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