$1.4m federal funding expands development of new fire-rated wall system

Institute for Frontier Materials will help an Australian manufacturer to scale-up its latest light-weight fire-rated wall system for high-rise buildings thanks to a $1.4million grant through the Federal Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) initiative.

Speedpanel, Australia’s only supplier of its world-first fire rated panel system, has worked with IFM researchers to establish the technology foundations for a new light-weight wall product.

The CRC-P will take the product through to the next crucial step towards commercialisation – introducing computer and test platforms that enable a systematic approach to developing its product and manufacturing process design. With the support of FormFlow, a metal forming manufacturer based in Geelong, the partners aim to establish a scalable high-volume manufacturing cell. The expansion will allow them to tap into a $340 million market opportunity within Australia’s $60 billion high-rise building industry.

The funding was one of 24 grants under the latest round in the CRC-P initiative. This round had a focus on circular economy and the priority areas of the $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund (NRF). The projects now have the potential to become investments under the NRF once they have reached the commercialisation stage.

‘We need to be much smarter in how we design, use and recycle products as we move toward a circular economy,’ Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said at the time of the announcement.

“This round of grants is about putting great Australian know-how to good use.

“Many of these projects are in National Reconstruction Fund priority areas, ensuring there is a steady pipeline of investment ready projects to consider in coming years.”

To see the full list of grant recipients, click here.