The Siniat Story
Early in 2021 the global, lightweight construction materials brand Siniat was established in Australia, but our business has been around for much longer. What is the story behind the brand globally and in Australia?
The history
Global history
The company behind the Siniat brand is Etex. Etex is an established international building materials company led by its purpose: Inspiring Ways of Living. As a global business, it wants to build living spaces that are ever more safe, sustainable, smart and beautiful.
The Etex roots go back to 1905 when Alphose Emsens founded the Eternit fibre cement factory in Belgium. Etex has since grown to a global leader with more than 13,500 teammates in over 160 sites across 45 operating countries.
The Etex Group started its own drywall initiative in 1957, but the true breakthrough came in 2011, when Etex gradually acquired Lafarge plasterboard activities in Europe, Latin America and Africa and rebranded them Siniat.
Today Siniat is one of the Etex Group’s flagship commercial brands, and one of the leading global manufacturers of interior and exterior materials for drywall construction.
Australian history
In Australia, Siniat was previously known as Knauf Plasterboard and Lafarge Plasterboard before that. The business was first established as a joint venture between Pioneer International and Lafarge Gypsum in 1988, and Lafarge took full ownership in 1999. In 2011 the Knauf Group purchased the business from Lafarge.
The metal side of the business was established in July 2014 when Knauf Plasterboard also acquired Peer Industries, a leading privately owned manufacturer of metal systems for the building and construction industry.
In 2021 Etex purchased the business from the Knauf group, and Etex Australia was born. All of plasterboard and metal framing products and associated services were rebranded to the commercial brand Siniat.
The Australian business expanded further in 2024 when Etex Australia successfully acquired the BGC fibre cement and plasterboard businesses. BGC, or the Buckeridge Group of Companies, is a Perth-based private corporate group of construction and building-related companies.
It has since been announced that the acquired plasterboard business and products will be rebranded to Siniat, while the acquired fibre cement business and products will change their brand to Innova.
Also in Australia are the Etex brands Promat, Equitone and Skamol.
The offering
Globally Siniat is a key supply partner on thousands of construction projects around the world. The brand is renowned for providing innovative plasterboard products and has become a trusted partner in developing sustainable answers to the demand for more and better living spaces.
In Australia we take pride in being the only manufacturer of lightweight wall and ceiling solutions to offer full metal and plasterboard systems to the market.
Plasterboard is manufactured in our factories in Matraville (Sydney, NSW), Altona (Melbourne, Vic) and Bundaberg (Qld). Compounds are manufactured in Altona and metal products are manufactured in our roll-forming plant in Beenleigh (Brisbane, Qld). Some products, including our acoustic ceiling range, are manufactured in Etex factories overseas.
Locally our products and systems are rigorously tested to comply with the relevant building codes and standards.
Siniat prides itself on being known for collaborating with Australian customers in designing for larger projects and for offering bespoke solutions that suit their needs.
Siniat is also the only manufacturer of both plasterboard and metal framing products to offer certified carbon neutral products to the market. Read more below.
Sustainability
In Australia, Siniat is committed to Etex sustainability goals and commitment to sustainable development, as outlined in the Etex ‘Road to Sustainability 2030’.
Locally Siniat is a leader in the market through its Opt2Act program. Opt2Act offers a simple and cost-effective way of reducing the upfront carbon in a build by up to 7%, making it easier for customers who are targeting Green Star certification to reach their goals.
Opt2Act products are supplied carbon neutral, certified under the Australian Government's Climate Active initiative, and is available for a wide range of locally made plasterboard and metal products. To find out more about Opt2Act, send email to opt2act@siniat.com.au.
The future
We are looking forward to building the Siniat brand in Australia. To ensure that you don’t miss out on any future announcements, subscribe to our news updates and we’ll keep you informed.
The Siniat plasterboard plant in Matraville, NSW
The Siniat metal roll-forming plant in Beenleigh, QLD (Siniat Metal Framing)