MEMBER PROFILE | WINDOWS
01 Rod Beel, R&D
Systems Manager
at Aluminium
Industries.
02
In 2011, a chance meeting realigned Rod’s career path.
“While working at a trade show under an AWS stand, I
was told there’s somebody you should come and meet.
It turned out to be Paul Condon, my former Capral boss,
who was now CEO of Aluminium Industries. We hadn’t
seen each other for years. I knew the phone would ring
after our meeting, but it only took him about a month to
call.”
Based in Dandenong South, Aluminium Industries had
already purchased thermal break equipment from
Europe and the United States, and was at a crossroads
when Rod started working there. “I was given a once-in-
a-lifetime opportunity as R&D Manager to start with a
clean sheet of paper and develop a complete product
range from scratch,” Rod says. “I was encouraged to ‘dare
to be different’, which was extremely liberating.
“I’ve always had a passion for product development and
this allowed me to truly use my experience to develop
the best product I could without concerning myself with
products that were a legacy of the past.
“Product development isn’t about just doing something
different. It is critical to consider best practice and
efficiency for manufacture being at the forefront of all
design. So many people in our business get stuck on a
cost per kilogram for metal, but disregard efficiencies
you can make in manufacture if you’re smart.” Rod says.
Rod was attracted to Aluminium Industries’ fresh
thinking and comprehensive approach to development.
“Previously, much of the development of past products
involved managing legacy systems dating back to the
1960s,” he says.
“Aluminium Industries’ initial desire was the development
of thermally broken products, but I said there was no
value in focussing on a new product in isolation – we
needed to scope a product range starting with a thermal
break and developing all the way back to single glazed,”
he says. “This process was a complete reversal of how
our industry has evolved over the past 60 years. I spent
my first three months just drawing catalogues and
exploring a footprint to make sure my concepts weren’t
flawed.”
“Everything was single-glazed in the 1960s, before moving
on to double-glazed and thermally broken technology in
the past decade,” Rod elaborates.
02 Rod on the
factory floor
at Aluminium
Industries.
There was a good reason for this strategy. “Single-
glazed windows are still required in the marketplace
for more moderate climates, such as Queensland and
New South Wales,” Rod says. “In Victoria, Tasmania,
Canberra and country areas, double-glazed or thermally
broken windows are more common. However, as energy
standards become more stringent, double glazed and
thermally broken frames will be used more and more
throughout Australia.”
Since Rod’s arrival, the company has dramatically
increased its product offering. “Five years after I arrived,
our completely new range of 40 suites, comprising
of over 600 extrusions – covering a broad range of
thermally broken, double-glazed and single-glazed
frames – has met with broad appeal,” Rod confirms. “All
our products have a solid metric footprint, with common
DNA and versatility unparalleled in the commercial
industry.”
Aluminium Industries’ unique designs set the company
apart. “Besides our product range, our biggest
marketplace advantage lies in our supply chain and our
ability to service,” Rod says. “This enables us to work
closely with fabricators to find the best project-based
solution to suit each application and to meet fabricators
needs in terms of service together with our continual
desire to develop innovative products in consultation
with our customers.”
Rod keenly appreciates the industry that has given
him these opportunities. “I’ve always been grateful
for the scope of experience I’ve amassed over my
45 years in the industry,” he says. “I’ve had a job for
life in an industry that has been very good to me,
and I’ve returned the favour in kind I feel with many
ground-breaking initiatives. The industry remains
fresh and vibrant, with a diversity of products focused
on important goals such as energy conservation and
performance.”
Outside of work, Rod maintains a busy life. “I have a
loving partner Sharyn, collectively three daughters
and three grandsons who keep us busy and we enjoy
spending time with them,” he says.
“It’s a privilege now to work with such a skilled and
innovative company in this industry, and to continue to
push the boundaries of product development.”
WINDOWS MAGAZINE 17