Tell us about the business.

Modulate Group is introducing endlessly customisable, more easily and safely portable Australian-made container-based buildings nationwide – including stackable and double-width 4.5m-wide types. With a design life of 25 years under heavy use with low maintenance, these quality buildings can be engineered to cost-effectively meet the repeat-use needs of sectors such as mining, energy, infrastructure, construction, government projects, defence, and water and power utilities.

How long have you been doing business?

Modulate Group was established in August 2020 as a family business, drawing on decades of experience in the mining, construction, and resources industries. Since then, the 20,000 sq m facility in Mayfield has grown into a powerhouse of Australian manufacturing, renowned for its dedication to quality and strict compliance with industry standards.

How many people work for the business?

Approximately 30 staff.

Describe a typical day at ‘The office’.

For office staff, a day typically starts with a management chat about latest projects and how to best coordinate with the design team and the project management team.

For the drafting team, they typically meet with clients to make sure drawings are accurate and customised to their specific needs.

For the manufacturing team, which includes painting, fabrication, and fit-out, they look at priorities and customer deadlines and look to solve problems and make things happen.

What’s the best thing about the business?

The people. As a family-owned company, everyone works together, and everyone is crucial to the success of the company. All different departments need to work closely together in such a dynamic industry, so that we can deliver the best results for our customers.

The worst thing?

Not a worst thing, but a challenge is to totally differentiate our rugged, versatile, customisable top quality product from the run-of-the-mill. Word-of mouth helps us a lot, by giving exactly what the customer wants, on time and on budget.

What are the biggest challenges facing your business?

Managing complex supply chains in a fast-paced industry can be challenging for customers. Not just with Covid, but even today, there can be unexpected delays in raw materials, or material price fluctuations that we need to be ready to quickly adapt to.

Another challenge we meet for customers is staying constantly up to date with the latest standards and regulations, particularly when each state and each council has different rules.

What is the biggest opportunity for your business right now?

Being able to see future trends. For example, we see a major opportunity in containerised custom-fabricated switchrooms that will be widely needed at the Australian grid goes green.

Another opportunity comes from the ingenuity of our customers. Sometimes we get a call saying something like “could you make one of your shipping containers into a super multi-dog kennel for the care of dozens of dogs?” We may have never made one before, but we always apply a “can-do” attitude and make it work.

What is the business most proud of?

We are proud to have strong relationships and repeat customers, because this speaks volumes for us. We are proud to deliver high quality and highly customised solutions, where the end product stands out from the competition. We are also highly proud of being an innovative company that is an Australian manufacturer.

Community or other causes close to its heart and values?

Modulate Group has proudly supported Surfest. Since 2022, we’ve contributed a custom-designed shipping container office for judges and commentators at the Merewether Beach events.

We also have our own Major Projects Foundation, which is committed to preventing oil spills from deteriorating WWII shipwrecks in the Pacific. The Foundation identifies high-risk wrecks, often oil-filled vessels at risk of rupturing due to corroded hulls. Through collaboration with international governments, we coordinate efforts to mitigate the environmental and economic impacts these spills could cause. Many of Modulate Group’s staff volunteer their time to this vital cause.

Any employees that deserve a shout out?

Each of our employees is crucial to the success of the company, so really, they all deserve a shout out.