Batching plant opened
Concrete moves back into region
WAGNERS has started batching commercial concrete in Toowoomba for the first time since 2011.
The Toowoomba-based construction materials company officially opened its new batching plant yesterday on Alderley St in Harristown, which would be able to produce more than 200 cubic metres of concrete an hour.
The launch marked a return to one of the company’s foundation product services in Toowoomba, before it started a non-compete period with Boral after selling some of its Toowoomba operations and assets.
Wagners concrete, reinforcing steel and pre-cast general manager Matt Grulke said the overall annual output would depend on demand from customers.
“The plant capability is above 200 cubic metres an hour, but the market has got to be there,” he said.
“As far as an annual turnover, it is somewhere in the vicinity of 50,000 to 60,000 cubic metres a year.
“Toowoomba is where we started, so there’s that brand recognition and history.
“It’s good to be able to get back into the Toowoomba market and re-engage with customers that we’ve worked with in the past.
“It’s been about eight years, so it’s a long time out.”
Mr Grulke said the new batching plant, which would directly support 18 jobs at the site, would also sell Wagners’ Earth Friendly Concrete.
“What it means is we’ll have a facility in Toowoomba that we can batch earth-friendly concrete,” he said.
“It’s an emerging market, it’s an environmentally-friendly product that offers extremely good durability, so it’s new and exciting for us.”
The project was approved by the Toowoomba Regional Council at the start of the year.
Wagners CEO Cameron Coleman said at the time the multi-million dollar facility was an exciting addition to the company’s Toowoomba services.