By Lauren Ferrone
Phil Scardigno considers his commitment to South Australia sealed every time a national competitor says they struggle to break into the State’s waterproofing market because his Gripset brand is strong.
As managing director of Gripset, a South Australian-owned company that has been developing and manufacturing waterproofing products for more than 30 years, Phil says “the loyalty of people wanting to support South Australian brands is big”.
“I think the market we’re in, we’re providing solutions to people using our product range. If they’re dealing with a large corporate, they’re generally having to wait weeks for a response whereas we’re here,” Phil says.
In 1990, Phil took over the family business from his Italian father who migrated to South Australia in the 1950s
In 1990, Phil took over the family business from his Italian father who migrated to South Australia in the 1950s.
“My father had a background in building before he came to Australia. When he arrived in the State, he found there was no solution out there for waterproofing,” Phil explains.
“Through his frustrations and getting welts on his skin from using hazardous compounds in other products, dad developed his own waterproofing solvent-free product, and business just evolved from there.”
Phil describes Gripset products as being “green-friendly from day one”.
“Dad was ahead of his time; a pioneer in that space. If he couldn’t source or buy waterproofing products, then he’d make his own; so, he he went from building to manufacturing,” he says.
In the early 1980s, the company started developing alternatives to solvent based bitumen and resin coatings for domestic purposes, using water-based and solvent-free technology.
Gripset products are now used by iconic South Australian suppliers like Bianco’s Building, Rayners, SA Building, Adami’s, and Italia Ceramics, and other construction and building companies, Rivergum Homes, Scott Salisbury Homes and Alan Sheppard Homes, to name a few.
Gripset’s elastic seal for pipes and penetrations
Despite exporting to the Asia Pacific for more than a decade, Phil says the company is dedicated to its Adelaide clients.
“I’ve had clients tell me to set up in China or India, and we can do it cheaper. But, we’re not at the commodity end; we’re in technology and innovation… we’ve never been threatened by cheap exports,” he says.
Gripset has invested about $2 million in its Woodville North purpose-built manufacturing plant where it predominately manufactures liquid and powder products that “end up in a bucket, bottle or bag”.
“We have customers like Fulton Hogan with bulk supply who bring large ISO tanks to the plant where we fill their 20,000 litre tank with product; but then there are customers who take 500ml of product,” Phil says.
Gripset also has customers across the State; including Mount Gambier to Port Lincoln, to Broken Hill, Coober Pedy, and the Riverland.
Watch the below video for a Gripset waterproofing demo
With a strong local presence and support for the State, Phil says Brand South Australia‘s I Choose SA campaign – which encourages people to choose South Australia in their purchasing decisions – is everything his business stands for.
“Our heritage is here in South Australia; it’s where we started and we made sure to never lose that small business feel,” he says.
Phil aims to grow Gripset, as part of the Axis Group, from a 26 employee company to 100-plus and says the State’s south east timber industry is the company’s next massive growth opportunity, as well as working with local architecture firms on big city projects.
“As far as eastern states go, there are a lot of benefits to manufacturing in South Australia because we’re a central hub to the country when it comes to freight, and people overlook that advantage. We can ship east and west far more cost effectively than companies from other States.
“We’ve got to stop thinking we’re inferior to interstate. There are a lot of good things that come out of Adelaide, and at no time do we ever think to close up here and move. It just goes to show, you don’t have to live in a big city to do business in a big city.”
Visit I Choose SA to find out how you can support our State by choosing South Australian businesses, products and services.
