Injection moulding company acquires Ausdrain

Sydney-based A Plus Plastics has acquired stormwater management company Ausdrain in a strategic move to expand its injection moulding manufacturing capacity.

A Plus Plastics Managing Director and owner Matthew Holloway is fervent about manufacturing in Australia and approached Ausdrain to propose the acquisition.

“I actually picked up the phone and rang the owner of Ausdrain, Gerard Jorna, and asked if he was interested in selling, and it went from there. I knew the majority of Ausdrain’s products were injection moulded, so instead of proposing that we toll-manufacture, I offered a complete purchase of the company.

“Like our existing proprietary products, most of Ausdrain’s stormwater management range of drainage cell products and underground tanks are manufactured using injection moulding, so we’ll be manufacturing those items from now on, as well as using what we learn from the acquisition to develop new products to add to the range,” he said.

Holloway explained that the Ausdrain range complements A Plus Plastics’ GEOHEX Erosion Control System, which will give the company access to distributors and customers in different markets in Australia and overseas.

“We also have a national warehousing footprint which will allow us to expand into locations otherwise not accessible prior to the purchase,” Holloway said.

The acquisition also fits well with A Plus Plastics’ focus on environmental sustainability. As with GEOHEX, Ausdrain products are made from 100% recycled post-industrial plastics — A Plus intends to expand its range in this area.

Much of Ausdrain’s current product range is manufactured by competitors of A Plus Plastics, so A Plus will now start manufacturing the range at its Minto plant.

“Ausdrain is also attractive to us because it’s the only company that manufactures stormwater management products in Australia,” Holloway added. “And given our recent droughts and the likely increase in those, there are so many opportunities in Australia and beyond for rainwater harvesting solutions.”

Image caption: A Plus Plastics’ Matt Holloway with Ausdrain’s Gerard Jorna.