FURNITURE WITH A PURPOSE

FURNITURE WITH A PURPOSE Purpose-designed impact furniture secures Australia Post’s largest parcel processing and delivery centre in the Southern hemisphere

PROJECT PARTICULARS Client Australia Post Location Redbank, Queensland Landscape Contractor Naturelink Landscapes & Design Street Furniture Supply Furphy Foundry

COMPANY Furphy Foundry P 1300 768 230 W furphyfoundry.com.au

Located in the suburb of Redbank in Queensland, Australia Post’s newest delivery and processing centre is a record breaking 50,000 square metres; part of the Government’s three-year $900 million investment in parcel processing nationally.

According to Bob Black, Australia Post Group CEO, with the increasing growth of online shopping and the resulting rise in parcel delivery across the nation, an investment in new tech to help deliver increasing volumes and create new and safer workplaces had become paramount on the Australia Post agenda.

“We’ll have 500 employees stationed at the new facility,” Bob said. “A demonstration of our commitment to Queensland jobs and to remaining Australia’s preferred and most trusted delivery provider.”

The new facility will process up to 700,000 parcels per day at its peak — that’s more than 35,000 parcels an hour! With that much traffi c going in and out, and hundreds of employees on campus daily, creating a safe work environment from the outside in was a principal concern.

Commissioned to complete the landscape surrounding the facility, Queensland-fi rm Naturelink Landscapes & Design collaborated with impact and community protection street furniture specialists Furphy Foundry to include a range of sturdy impact protection units in the facility’s new landscape.

Purpose-designed to ensure pedestrian safety in public spaces or close to roads, including footpaths, pedestrian malls, street cafes, retail centre forecourts and carparks, Furphy’s range of impact protection furniture can improve the resilience of crowded spaces or at-risk areas, making them safer for users.

A substantial infrastructure inclusion that can prevent unnecessary damage to buildings, preserve pedestrian safety, even deter low-tech terror attacks carried out in crowded public spaces, well-designed impact protection furniture should be an unobtrusive, practical and attractive inclusion to the built environment.

From planter boxes and inbuilt or freestanding bench seating, to removable bollards that still allow access to service vehicles, Furphy’s impact protection range is versatile, robust and stylish. In fulfi lling the Australia Post Redbank contract, Furphy supplied six impact benches and fi ve rectangular impact planters (1800mm x 430mm x 400mm) to help create a safe barrier around the facility’s employee carpark at the front of the facility.

The reinforced concrete base of each supplied unit features mitred corners and a mould-drawn fi nish on the exposed surfaces. Harwood timber slats with a mid-brown stain provide a warm contrast against the raw concrete and assist them to blend with the low-key landscaping.

Working as a buff er between the parking area and the building, as well as a comfortable seating option, the low-maintenance impact furniture inclusions at the Redbank facility will help to provide a safe work environment for employees.