Pipe-Weld delivers for Snackbrands Australia’s Project Horizon

The $222 million Project Horizon expansion has reshaped Snackbrands Australia’s Orchard Hills facility into a 22,225m² advanced manufacturing and distribution hub. Delivering this transformation relied on disciplined application of stainless steel throughout the plant, expertly fabricated and installed by ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator Pipe-Weld, supported by a network of ASSDA Member suppliers to ensure performance, hygiene, and long-term durability at every level.

The development includes a 3,500m² food manufacturing hall integrated with existing warehousing and distribution infrastructure, forming a consolidated national hub for some of Australia’s most recognised potato

Aflex delivers for Melbourne's hyperscale data centre

Australia’s data centre sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing and the increasing demand for secure, high-performance digital infrastructure. With more than $26 billion in forecast investment by 2030 to support AI infrastructure and economic growth, data centres represent one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding markets in the country.

Contributing a critical piece of infrastructure to this transformation, ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator Aflex designed, manufactured and supplied stainless steel expansion joints for a major hyperscale data centre in Melbourne. While compact in scale compared to the

Set against the dramatic sandstone cliffs of Sydney’s eastern coastline, the Clifftop Walkway at Vaucluse is a striking example of how stainless steel can elevate infrastructure in harsh environments. Delivered for Waverly Council by Head Contractor Land & Marine – Ocean Engineering across the Diamond Bay and Eastern Reserves, the expansive boardwalk stretches more than a kilometre along the coastline, providing safer access, improved connectivity and uninterrupted ocean views.

Behind its refined architectural presence is the extensive use of stainless steel, delivered by ASSDA Members Frontier Assembly and Elite Metal Fabrication, who together fabricated and assisted in installing approximately

The Habitat Live-Work Precinct at 1 Porter Street in Byron Bay is a thoughtfully designed community where residents can live, work and recharge in one integrated space. Developed by Bayshore Development, Habitat has been over 20 years in the making, blending the spirit of “old Byron” – creativity, community and environmental respect – with modern sustainable design principles, including renewable energy, shared mobility, and hybrid live-work spaces.

Among the many elements contributing to Habitat’s sustainable and functional design is something deceptively simple: clothes drying. For this, ASSDA Member Coastal Clotheslines was engaged to supply and install more than 80 stainless

Stainless steel solutions for long-term water performance

Critical wastewater infrastructure at the Alfred Street Pumping Station in Slacks Creek, Queensland, has been future-proofed through the design and manufacture of two custom stainless steel penstocks – the heavy duty gates that control water flow through a pumping station – by ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator Australian Water Engineers (AWE).

Engaged by Logan Water Alliance as part of Logan Water’s Wastewater Pipeline and Maintenance Hole Renewal Program, AWE was tasked with replacing outdated, non-functional penstocks essential to the isolation and control of inflow to the pumping station. The project forms part

Delivering resilient water treatment with stainless steel

Stainless steel is fast becoming the material of choice across new and upgraded water infrastructure projects in Australia, valued for its durability, corrosion resistance, and long-term sustainability. This shift was on full display in the Gisborne Recycled Water Plant Upgrade in Victoria, where ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator, Total Piping & Mechanical (TPM), delivered expertise that strengthened best practice for stainless steel use in recycled water treatment facilities.

Installed in September 2024, the stainless steel pipework forms a key component of Greater Western Water’s wider upgrade of the Gisborne Recycled Water Plant.

Australia is now home to the Southern Hemisphere’s only large-scale mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility, a landmark achievement in global health security and sovereign capability. Located within the Monash Technology Precinct in Clayton South, Melbourne, Moderna’s new facility will produce vaccines annually for respiratory diseases. It will also provide Australia with the rapid-response capacity to deliver pandemic vaccines if needed.

Stainless steel plays a critical role in the facility, providing the purity, durability, and cleanability required for pharmaceutical production. It ensures system integrity for high-purity services such as water for injection, clean steam, compressed gases, and process waste, where contamination is

Redefining sustainable infrastructure

On 28 March 2024, the newly constructed Narre Warren Station officially opened on Melbourne’s Pakenham Line, removing a notorious and congested rail-road crossing and delivering a safer, modern public transport hub. Beyond the construction achievement, the project marks a milestone in material efficiency and sustainable design through the innovative use of stainless steel.
 

A materials breakthrough

The original ceiling design called for 30 tonnes of 800mm carbon steel deep beams – considerable welded elements that would have been heavy and disruptive to install. The beams were intended to support the ceiling spanning between the tracks above

Collaboration and the ASSDA Young Professionals Network drive a premium outcome

Sydney's Alfred Street Pedestrian Bridge is a striking landmark for Parramatta, providing residents with a safe all-abilities active transport link between the northern suburbs and the Parramatta CBD. The $19 million project, co-funded by the City of Parramatta and the NSW Government, forms a key element of the Parramatta River revitalisation program.

Bridges are the lifeblood of communities, designed to connect people, reduce transport costs and emissions, and encourage a healthier lifestyle. For the Alfred Street Bridge, design principles focused on accessibility, safety, elegance, and longevity. The final result

Urban arbours transform Melbourne's tram stops

A visionary streetscape initiative is redefining public transport environments in Melbourne, fusing green infrastructure with the long-term performance benefits of stainless steel. Six new 'Urban Arbours' have been installed across central tram stops in a pilot project set to deliver cooler, cleaner, and greener city spaces.

 
Delivered through collaboration and stainless steel expertise

Exposure to high temperatures - where liquid water is absent - degrades metals in three primary ways:

1. Corrosion or scaling - Leads to material loss and reduced functionality

2. Loss of strength - Includes immediate strength reduction and, above ~500°C, long-term creep.

3. Microstructural changes - Phase transformations or the formation of harmful precipitates, which can cause embrittlement and increased corrosion risk when later exposed to water. These effects tend to be more pronounced in ferritic structures than in austenitic ones.

 
Austentic stainless steels have the broadest service temperature range, from cryogenic conditions to high-hundreds of degrees Celsius. Beyond this range,

ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator Aflex has played a pivotal role in supporting the seismic resilience of one of New Zealand’s most important cultural infrastructure projects – the new Archives New Zealand building in Wellington.

 
Engaged by Motion NZ, Aflex was tasked with designing and delivering seismic bellows assemblies for the 10-storey archival facility at the corner of Aitken and Mulgrave Streets. Built to preserve more than 12 million irreplaceable documents and cultural taonga, the new building sits on a major fault line, necessitating an innovative approach to seismic protection.

Engineering a stainless steel solution

With space constraints for

ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator Leviat delivered critical expertise to realise the sculptural and award-winning design of the Phoenix Central Park Gallery in Chippendale, Sydney. A fusion of architecture and art, the private gallery of philanthropist Judith Neilson pushes structural boundaries with a façade that dimples, twists and curls in three dimensions. Behind this visually striking brickwork lies a bespoke stainless steel support system, engineered and manufactured by Leviat.

 
The result of a rare architectural collaboration between John Wardle Architects and Durbach Block Jaggers, and delivered by FDC Construction with brickwork specialist Favetti, the project demanded advanced technical solutions

ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator TFG Group has showcased its exceptional expertise in stainless steel design, fabrication and installation through the delivery of a greenfield project in New South Wales. Completed in September 2023, the Horsley Park Mixing Plant is a state-of-the-art liquid manufacturing facility set to redefine operational excellence in the production of household and personal care products.

The facility features world-class capabilities, including five standard production lines and a high-volume line capable of filling bottles ranging from 250mL to 5L at speeds of 30 to 100 bottles per minute.

Innovative design and sustainable execution

Engaged in late 2022,

ASSDA Member Outokumpu is leading the way in producing emission-minimised stainless steel, with its Circle Green product line boasting a 92% lower carbon footprint than the global average.

As the only stainless steel producer currently approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), Outokumpu is committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 42% from 2016 levels by 2030, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050.

One of the key factors in Outokumpu’s low carbon emissions is the high utilisation of recycled materials, achieving 95% recycled content in its stainless steel in 2022. Outokumpu also benefits from having its own chromium mine

ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator, B&R Enclosures, delivered a custom stainless steel solution for a striking public art installation that transformed the western façade of the Central Club Hotel in North Melbourne. Commissioned by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), the project highlights the versatility, durability and aesthetic appeal of stainless steel in creating unique and functional architectural designs.
 

A vision in digital windows

Designed by Melbourne studio RAMUS, the artwork titled Silhouettes, consists of 10 low-resolution LED screens housed in custom-made stainless steel window boxes. These ‘digital windows’ intermittently illuminate the façade with scenes of

Proper storage and handling of stainless steel are crucial to maintaining its bright, durable finish. Care must begin at delivery and continue through fabrication, transport to the end customer and beyond.
 

Potential issues:
 

PHYSICAL DAMAGE

• Scratches or burrs: Can occur due to unprotected metallic rack supports, rough handling, inadequate packing, or contact with forklift tines. Use protective materials like wood, plastic, or carpet to minimise damage.
   
• Distortion or dents: Thin sheets and small-diameter tubes need adequate external support (e.g. boxes) to prevent kinking, flattening, or deformation.
   
• Improper storage: Poor support in pigeonhole or rack storage can

At the ingress of Victoria’s Port Philip Bay stands the Queenscliff Ferry Terminal – a beacon of architectural prowess and stainless steel ingenuity. Opened in April 2023 after a decade-long collaboration between visionary architects and dedicated clients, this world-class structure epitomises the marriage of functionality and aesthetic allure.

Linking Queenscliff to Sorrento and beyond, the terminal serves as a gateway to the scenic wonders of Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula, and the iconic Great Ocean Road. As the bustling hub for Searoad Ferries’ car and passenger services, it orchestrates over 8,200 crossings annually, welcoming more than 960,000 passengers.

Designed by F2

Located in Pilbara of Western Australia, Gudai-Darri is Rio Tinto’s first Greenfield mine in the region in more than a decade. Stretching across both Banjima and Yindjibarndi country, both Traditional Owners were engaged through the planning and development stages in Rio Tinto’s most technologically advanced iron ore mine yet. Gudai-Darri features the world’s first autonomous water carts, trucks, drills, and trains, as well as a robotic ore sampling laboratory and solar farm. Gudai-Darri has a 40-year mine life and will support thousands of jobs moving into the future.
 

THE CHALLENGE

Rio Tinto faced the challenge of providing a sustainable

Located at One Barangaroo Avenue on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour and opened in 2022, Crown Sydney epitomises luxury with its opulent hotel, world-class casino, signature restaurants and top-shelf bars. At the heart of this luxury, stainless steel plays a crucial role, enhancing both the functionality and aesthetics of the resort. 

ASSDA Member and Accredited Fabricator Stoddart was instrumental in delivering a bespoke solution for 136 different food and beverage areas for Crown Sydney. They fabricated, supplied, and installed an extensive range of stainless steel commercial kitchen and food equipment. This included Halton ventilation exhaust hoods manufactured under license