Australian Construction Products

6 7 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 real, live information.” However, despite ACP’s commitment to cutting- edge technology, that hasn’t prevented the company from experiencing challenges – particularly over the last two years. As with any company, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been unavoidable. “Supply has been the number one challenge for us over the last couple of years,” Refahi reports. “There’s also been material shortages, container shortages, and freight challenges. In terms of supply, raw materials have taken the biggest hit, not just for our own products, but also those that are made and imported from overseas that we then supply in Australia. That’s delayed our supply chain and the delivery of material to customers.” Meeting these challenges – whether related to COVID or not – has been made easier by the support of ACP’s extensive partner network. “In terms of our U.S. product range, for example, we have had a long relationship with Lindsay Transportation Solutions, with whom we’ve been collaborating for a number of years now. We’ve also done a lot of product testing with Holmes Solutions in New Zealand. They are another company that we’ve worked with quite closely to test our products,” Refahi adds. However, collaboration only represents one of ACP’s core values. Another of the company’s major strengths concerns anticipating market needs and increasing the standards of its products to ensure they are constantly being met. The company is also extremely proud to make Australian products. “The majority of our guardrail products are made in Australia and made from Australian BlueScope steel,” Refahi says.” And the products that we license from the U.S. are, of course, approved here in Australia too.” In addition, given the products that ACP manufactures, it should come as no surprise that health and safety is also a core concern. As is sustainability. ACP recycles as much scrap material as possible, all its office lighting has been upgraded to LEDs, and the company is using plastic PET strapping in all its warehouses. These values, whether they concern safety or sustainability, represent a major part of ACP’s corporate culture. “We have a small team of 30 staff nationally, and project a lean and agile, small-business feel,” Truong notes. “Yet, being a part of the Jaybro Group, we enjoy the benefits of a large corporate profile with the structures and policies that go with it. And with Jaybro being voted one of 2021 Australia’s Best Workplaces, it feels like we enjoy the best aspects of a small business culture, with the backing and support of a large corporate juggernaut behind us.” Although now part of the Jaybro Group, as Truong says, that doesn’t mean ACP can be disregarded as just another company. It works hard to differentiate itself from the competition by prioritizing customer service. “We are not the biggest player in the market – possibly the second – but we are strong in terms of customer service in that we obviously like to meet customer demands whenever we can,” Refahi acknowledges. In fact, ACP has a strong appreciation of consultation generally, whether it’s with the company’s customers or other industry stakeholders. ACP is keen to work with local governments, designers, and other companies, where it is relevant to do so. These consultations often lead to new product development, which necessarily requires additional investment – something that ACP is more than happy to supply. “We’re investing in more capability to expand our engineering design capabilities, to come up with more variations from the standard guardrail design,” Truong continues. “This is in line with the stricter MASH crash-test requirements, AUSTRAL I AN CONSTRUCT ION PRODUCTS (ACP)