Ari Zaharopoulos is celebrating a significant milestone of 25 years working with Street Furniture Australia.
Throughout his career he has processed an estimated 1.5 million battens.
“If you have sat on a Street Furniture Australia seat or bench – anywhere around the country and overseas – the battens were likely processed by Ari,” says Head of Operations Christopher Morgan.
Ari joined the company in 1995, when the factory was “much smaller,” he says, and located in Bourke Street, Alexandria. Production later moved to Buckland Street, Alexandria, before the upgrade to the Regents Park premises in Western Sydney.
“There’s a lot more room to move now,” Ari says, “and the way we do things has become more and more efficient.”
Batten drilling, for example, was originally done manually, with one hole made at a time. Ari now performs the job via a jig that allows for multiple holes at a time, and can be programmed to different product requirements.
Innovations like these have helped the factory go from producing around 15-20 seats a day in 1995 to a capacity of 70-100 seats in 2021 – though this would only occur for very large jobs, as each product is made-to-order just before dispatch.
This ‘just in time’ manufacturing is a component of the Toyota LEAN philosophy, which Street Furniture Australia has adopted to eliminate waste and maximise efficiency on the factory floor.
The factory is often used as an exemplar case study by Best Practice Network meetings for NSW and interstate manufacturers looking to improve their own production facilities and processes.
Ari in his 25 years with the company has worked in just about every area of production – starting in the welding area, moving to assembly and assisting in spray painting – however batten processing has always been his favourite.
“We have a really good team in the batten area, and on the floor right now in general,” he says. “One of our newer employees, Dom, wants to try for 2 million battens and take my title. He’s got a long way to catch up, but I think that’s a really good sign for the future of the company.”
Successful products are often followed by copycats. Over the past year we have become aware of an increase in reproductions of the Linea range attempting to create a similar aesthetic at a lower price. This can compromise the overall durability and environmental credentials of projects being delivered, affect ongoing maintenance requirements, and in some instances pose a risk of injury to the public. The design of Linea is deceptively simple while delivering exceptional attention to detail. Details matter not only for beauty, but also for providing durability, and safety, that will last decades. Linea strictly uses the highest quality and sustainable materials, has passed rigorous strength tests, and is designed for longevity, with easily replaceable parts. The product range is the result of hundreds of hours of research and development …
Melissa Gerke, our Communications and Education Specialist, is bringing a fun, interactive and informative presentation about our carbon neutral journey and latest products to customers in cities around Australia and in the US. In 30 minutes (plus Q&A) we will explore materials and finishes, touch and feel samples, and bond with your colleagues over delicious treats. There will also be a mystery prize for a lucky winner (optional). 2024 cities and dates include: Select from three catering options (optional): To book, contact Melissa Gerke mgerke@streetfurniture.com
Street Furniture Australia’s entire product range and manufacturing operation has received carbon neutral certification through Climate Active™. Achieving carbon neutral certification marks a significant milestone in our operation and the culmination of a four year long process of detailed measurement and analysis. Climate Active™ is the only Australian government-backed carbon neutral certification programme for businesses to measure, reduce, and offsets their carbon emissions. It is one of the most rigorous carbon-neutral programs in the world. An approved Emissions Reduction Strategy (ERS) is central to achieving certification through Climate Active. Street Furniture Australia has elected to use SBTi validated science-based targets to ensure their ERS is meaningful and aligns with the 2015 Paris Agreement – to limit global temperature rises to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels. For those emissions that can’t be …
Industry publication Architecture & Design reviewed Street Furniture Australia’s sustainability practices and “comprehensive approach to responsible design, waste minimisation and recyclability, repair and spare parts, and sustainable timber.” Our team was thrilled to see the below article published on September 9, 2020. All standard products are made-to-order at our Australian factory, under an environmental strategy centred around only bringing quality products into the urban environment. Streetwise and sustainable Public places are an essential space for so many different reasons and activities. They help to connect and refresh while often providing respite from the daily workplace routine. Public places are also highly accessible and evolve over time as communities and individuals enjoy the positive qualities of urban landscapes. Yet these spaces involve more than sharply designed lawns, concrete or paving punctuated …
Street Furniture Australia is launching a new Integrated Management System to include ISO certifications in quality, OH&S, sustainability and the environment. The system certified by QAS International is designed to meet the requirements of PAS99:2012 including Quality Management ISO 9001:2015, Environmental Management ISO 14001:2015, and OH&S Management ISO 45001:2018 and AS/NZS 4801:2001. The certification will further strengthen our program of continuous improvement, says Christopher Morgan, Street Furniture Australia Operations Manager, with 24 small audits leading up to the annual audit in 12 months’ time. “It’s not a rubber stamp that’s awarded once, it’s a system you need to continuously upgrade and improve,” he says. The three months of work leading up to the certification has brought the entire team closer, he tells StreetChat. “ISO is a great process as it …
See a pdf of the Company Director article, ‘This urban space designer attributes 3 factors to its 30-year success’. The July 2018 issue of Company Director Magazine features an interview with Street Furniture Australia founders Bill Morrison and Darrel Conybeare. The article looks at Street Furniture Australia’s continuous development and innovation over our 30-year history and today with smart city projects and additive manufacturing. The digital version begins, “This urban space designer attributes three factors to its 30-year success: keep your focus on the customer, make the most of data and commit to R&D.” The magazine is published by the Australian Institute of Company Directors. ‘Word on the Street’ article in the print edition of Company Director Magazine, published July 2018. See a pdf of the Company Director article, ‘This urban space designer attributes …
