Australian Made: The STRUCTAply Story
Manufacturing Structural Plywood in Regional Victoria
At Porta’s Myrtleford facility in regional Victoria, locally grown timber is manufactured into STRUCTAply structural plywood, supporting Australian jobs and a dependable local supply chain for customers across the country.
From Local Timber to Structural Plywood
Logs sourced from the local region are processed through the Myrtleford facility, where individual veneers are produced and manufactured into finished structural plywood. The facility produces STRUCTAply Square Edge, Flooring and Formwork for a range of structural applications across the Australian building industry.
The local timber resource is an important part of the operation, with fibre sourced from within 200 kilometres of the mill. Read more about the locally grown timber behind STRUCTAply in our HVP Plantation case study.
For Porta Supply Chain Manager Craig Stratford, the connection between local resources and local manufacturing also supports confidence in supply. Myrtleford is well positioned between Melbourne and Sydney, two key markets for the business, helping provide a known and dependable Australian supply chain.
As Craig explains, “It’s important for people here in Australia that they’re going to have supply when they need it, that the quality is going to be right, and that they’ve got a known supply chain.”
More Than a Manufacturing Facility
The Myrtleford facility has a strong connection to the community around it. Between 200 and 220 people are employed at the site across a variety of roles and skills, with approximately 50 contractors also engaged in work completed on site.
That connection extends beyond employment. The facility works with local businesses, contractors, schools and sporting organisations, including support for the Myrtleford Football and Netball Club. It is a relationship built over many years, with the mill playing an important role in developing local skills and supporting regional employment.
Craig has seen that connection firsthand over many years: “People care about the mill. They want the longevity of the mill because they see it as really important to the fabric of that community.”
A Supply Chain You Can Trace
Australian manufacturing provides more than proximity. Knowing where a product comes from and having confidence in the supply chain behind it are increasingly important considerations across the building industry.
For STRUCTAply, Chain of Custody provides traceability from the timber’s origin through the manufacturing process and on to the customer. The STRUCTAply range is PEFC certified, with independent auditing providing another level of confidence in the processes behind the product.
For Craig, that traceability is an important part of building trust: “The fact the product is certified means the standards are audited independently, and people connect with that. They know that what they’re getting, and they can trust it.”
Learn more about what Australian Standards mean when specifying STRUCTAply.
Made Here for the Long Term
From locally grown timber and regional manufacturing to skilled employment and a traceable supply chain, Myrtleford represents an important part of the STRUCTAply story.
It is Australian manufacturing with a strong connection to its local community, supporting quality structural plywood and dependable supply for the Australian building industry.