Published Tuesday, 05 February, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Queensland innovation to revolutionise world-wide construction
A Brisbane invention could be the answer to the state and world’s growing infrastructure needs, Industry Minister Desley Boyle said today at the opening of a new $7million production plant in Pinkenba.
Ms Boyle said Brisbane based Monkey Steel’s flagship MonkeyBar product could revolutionise the building industry because it was quicker to use, cheaper, stronger and required less labour than traditional construction joining methods.
“The company has estimated that developers could save up to 300 tonnes of steel when using the MonkeyBar in a 70-floor building,” Ms Boyle said
“And the best thing is this world-class product was designed in Queensland, extensively tested at the University of Southern Queensland and will be produced in Brisbane.
“MonkeyBar is designed to join lengths of steel bars that are used to reinforce concrete work – such as columns, beams, floors and walls – in the construction of major projects.
“There is no other product on the market that is a complete joining system within itself. It is a completely new method which could bring real benefits to the construction industry.
“The product has massive export potential as well as playing an important role in reducing the costs and time spent on the billions of dollars in infrastructure projects currently underway throughout Queensland.”
Ms Boyle said she welcomed Monkey Steel’s $7million investment in a state-of-the-art, fully automated Brisbane facility specifically for manufacturing its highly innovative product.
“The construction industry the third largest sector in Queensland, employing more than 220,000 workers and contributing over $15 billion to the State’s economy annually,” Ms Boyle said.
“It is important for the future of Queensland that we keep this local ingenuity and innovation in Queensland.”
Monkey Steel chief executive officer Julian Mitton said the company had secured a distribution agreement with Neumann Steel in Currumbin to support the sales and distribution of the MonkeyBar product range in South East Queensland.
“We are currently working with Neumann on numerous opportunities for supply to major high-rise developments in the Gold Coast and Brisbane. And several other developers are trialling the product for use in their projects.”
He said Queensland’s track record for accepting innovation in construction techniques and its high level of building and construction activity was a drawcard in Monkey Steel’s decision to establish a Queensland manufacturing base.
Monkey Steel was awarded the prestigious Engineering Excellence Award 2007 for Innovations and Inventions in September last year for the MonkeyBar.
“Almost all joining techniques used by builders involve overlapping steel bars, whereas the MonkeyBar has special grooves built into the ends of each bar, so when joined, they interlock into place.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Company contact: Julian Mitton, Chief Executive Officer, 02 8354 4000
5 February 2008
Ms Boyle said Brisbane based Monkey Steel’s flagship MonkeyBar product could revolutionise the building industry because it was quicker to use, cheaper, stronger and required less labour than traditional construction joining methods.
“The company has estimated that developers could save up to 300 tonnes of steel when using the MonkeyBar in a 70-floor building,” Ms Boyle said
“And the best thing is this world-class product was designed in Queensland, extensively tested at the University of Southern Queensland and will be produced in Brisbane.
“MonkeyBar is designed to join lengths of steel bars that are used to reinforce concrete work – such as columns, beams, floors and walls – in the construction of major projects.
“There is no other product on the market that is a complete joining system within itself. It is a completely new method which could bring real benefits to the construction industry.
“The product has massive export potential as well as playing an important role in reducing the costs and time spent on the billions of dollars in infrastructure projects currently underway throughout Queensland.”
Ms Boyle said she welcomed Monkey Steel’s $7million investment in a state-of-the-art, fully automated Brisbane facility specifically for manufacturing its highly innovative product.
“The construction industry the third largest sector in Queensland, employing more than 220,000 workers and contributing over $15 billion to the State’s economy annually,” Ms Boyle said.
“It is important for the future of Queensland that we keep this local ingenuity and innovation in Queensland.”
Monkey Steel chief executive officer Julian Mitton said the company had secured a distribution agreement with Neumann Steel in Currumbin to support the sales and distribution of the MonkeyBar product range in South East Queensland.
“We are currently working with Neumann on numerous opportunities for supply to major high-rise developments in the Gold Coast and Brisbane. And several other developers are trialling the product for use in their projects.”
He said Queensland’s track record for accepting innovation in construction techniques and its high level of building and construction activity was a drawcard in Monkey Steel’s decision to establish a Queensland manufacturing base.
Monkey Steel was awarded the prestigious Engineering Excellence Award 2007 for Innovations and Inventions in September last year for the MonkeyBar.
“Almost all joining techniques used by builders involve overlapping steel bars, whereas the MonkeyBar has special grooves built into the ends of each bar, so when joined, they interlock into place.
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Company contact: Julian Mitton, Chief Executive Officer, 02 8354 4000
5 February 2008