Queensland based Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) manufacturer, Wagners Composite Fibre Technologies (CFT) has officially achieved Australian Made certification for its commercial grade Circular Hollow Sections (CHS), Square Hollow Sections (SHS) and Rectangular Hollow Sections (RHS).
The certification, overseen by Australian Made Campaign Ltd, confirms that these high-performing structural profiles are designed, manufactured and quality-assured in Australia.
Wagners CFT General Manager, Ryan Leeson said the recognition is a major milestone for the team.
“It validates the innovation, skill and quality embedded into our FRP products while providing customers with the confidence that they’re sourcing truly local, high-performance materials,” Ryan Leeson said.
“The certification comes at a time when demand for durable, lightweight and corrosion resistant materials is growing across infrastructure, utilities and marine sectors and with FRP increasingly specified for structural applications that require long-term performance, the Australian Made mark assures engineers, contractors and project owners that Wagners CFT profiles meet rigorous local manufacturing standards,” Mr Leeson said.
“But Australian Made is more than just a logo to us; it’s one of the country’s most trusted certification marks and to carry the logo, products must effectively be taken from raw materials to finished product in Australian and comply with strict verification processes,” he said.
“For Wagners CFT this means that every CHS, SHS and RHS profile is pultruded, cured and finished locally with comprehensive quality control at every stage. So it’s not just about pride of origin; for infrastructure projects it’s about traceability, compliance and assurance that the product can perform as expected for decades.”
Pictured – A CHS being pultruded at the Wagners CFT manufacturing facility.
The profiles manufactured by Wagners CFT at its Wellcamp facility, just outside Toowoomba, are used for a variety of structural engineering projects right around the globe.
“Our Circular Hollow Sections (CHS) are used extensively for utility poles, piles in boardwalks and bridges and in marine settings for jetties and other marine infrastructure,” Ryan Leeson said.
“Square Hollow Sections (SHS) are used extensively in the substructure and handrail solutions for boardwalks and bridges, but we’ve also got 2-million SHS in place holding up the wires of our electricity networks as crossarms throughout Australia,” Mr Leeson said.
“And our Rectangular Hollow Sections (SHS) are often used for beams and joists in load bearing structures,” he said.
“You can see these structures right around Australia in East End Boardwalk in Townsville, to the Anzac Memorial Boardwalk in Newcastle and internationally in our recent PNG project, Lea Lea bridge; and even the upgrade of the electricity network on Kawau Island in New Zealand.”
Pictured – East End Boardwalk in Townsville, Queensland constructed from Wagners FRP profiles.
The Australian Made certification reinforces Wagners CFT’s long-standing commitment to advanced manufacturing in regional Queensland.
“We’ve invested heavily in proprietary pull-winding and pultrusion technology here in Australia to manufacture structural composite profiles at scale,” Ryan Leeson said.
“That investment has allowed us to replace traditional materials like timber, steel and aluminium in many applications with a product that is lighter, corrosion resistant and designed for long service life, often 80-100 years depending on the use, with minimal maintenance,” Mr Leeson said.
“The Australian Made certification provides an added layer of confidence for asset owners and government agencies, particularly as local content requirements and supply chain transparency become increasingly important,” he said.
“Procurement frameworks across Australia are placing greater emphasis on sovereign capability and local manufacturing, and being Australian Made certified makes it clear that these structural profiles are not just assembled here, they are genuinely manufactured here, strengthening Australia’s advanced manufacturing capability and supporting skilled jobs in regional communities.”
Pictured – SHS being prepared as electrical crossarms that you see at the top of utility poles.
Beyond supporting local industry, the certification also reflects the quality systems and compliance standards underpinning Wagners CFT’s operations.
“Our manufacturing processes are governed by strict quality, environmental and safety standards,” Ryan Leeson said.
“For engineers and specifiers that means consistency, performance reliability and full traceability from raw materials through to finished structural sections. And with infrastructure demands increasing across transport, utilities, marine and public space projects, FRP is continuing to gain traction as a mainstream structural material,” Mr Leeson said.
“We’re seeing growing recognition that composites are no longer niche; they’re practical, high-performance alternatives in environments where corrosion, weight and maintenance have traditionally driven up whole-of-life costs,” he said.
Pictured – All Wagners CFT profiles are manufactured at our facility in Wellcamp, Queensland.
Achieving Australian Made certification positions Wagners CFT strongly for both the domestic and export markets.
“It sends a clear message that Australia can design, engineer and manufacture world-class composite structural solutions,” Ryan Leeson said.
“For our customers, it means they can specify FRP with confidence knowing they are backed by local expertise, certified manufacturing and proven performance in the field,” Mr Leeson said.
“We’re not just producing profiles, but delivering long-life structural solutions that reduce maintenance, improve safety and lower whole-of-life costs,” he said.
“As infrastructure owners increasingly look beyond upfront capital costs and focus on durability, sustainability and performance certainty, Australian Made certification adds another layer of assurance.”
“Composites are no longer an alternative material…they’re a strategic material.”
“And now they’re officially certified proudly Australian Made.”
Learn more about Australian Made – https://australianmade.com.au/why-buy-australian-made/about-australian-made/
Browse our Australian Made products – https://australianmade.com.au/licensees/wagners-composite-fibre-technologies-cft
