Metsel Dry Mortar
Metsel Dry Mortar specialises in the production and supply of Standard Mortars, Coloured Mortars, Internal Plasters, External Renders, Tiling Screeds and Stabilised Sand for use in the building and construction industry throughout Australia.
Supplying factory-produced dry mixes in silos delivered to site, Metsel’s clients are guaranteed strength and consistency of their mortar, screeds or plasters. As a result, there’s no need for builders to mix sand and cement by hand on site – saving on both labour and material costs.
“It was an anxious period when I was exiting my previous business. I knew how I wanted to proceed, but for the most part a lot of the documentation was done by lawyers and accountants and the language can be confusing at times.
“Close to finalisation I was sent a document and I sent it onto Shane asking for his advice. Little did I know he was actually on holidays at the time, but Shane didn’t hesitate in reading through it and providing his advice on next steps.
“While I felt bad for interrupting his break, his advice was integral. It really helped to ensure I was getting the best deal for my future and to help set up Metsel.
“Shane always has my best interests at heart and provides sound advice and guidance on next steps. It gives me great faith that someone with knowledge and experience is looking after my finances, while I can concentrate on my operations.”
James Hallam, Managing Director
Metsel’s Managing Director James Hallam likes to solve puzzles. As a qualified engineer, he’s made a career out of finding innovative solutions to tricky problems by looking at things in a different light.
“At building sites across Australia, you will often see a cement truck and mixers delivering large quantities of sand and cement that require the workforce to mix together by hand,” James said.
“Often, this job is given to the youngest labourer or apprentice on site because, frankly, it’s not a fun job. Therein lies an issue: human error. Because, while the mixture needs to be spot on to ensure the materials work at their optimum levels, it’s fair to say each individual has a loose interpretation of the best recipe.”
Enter Metsel. With a dry mix concept, all cementous materials are delivered pre-mixed directly on site – all without large trucks blocking driveways and streets – ensuring the mix design is consistent.
“Dry mortar silos are common practice across Europe, so I was surprised to learn it wasn’t the same in Australia,” James said.
“In the UK particularly, their streets are so narrow that you simply can’t dump a pile of sand on the street for the duration of the construction phase. That’s where the pre-mixed silos idea was born.
“There are so many benefits to the silos. They save space without the need of large trucks and materials stockpiled on site. They save clients on the costs of both labour and materials, with all mixtures precisely supplied to ensure no wastage.
“However, the biggest benefit – in my opinion – is our mixtures are quality assured. Because it’s computer controlled batching, it allows us to provide a quality guarantee up to seven years; we even keep a sample of each mixture we deliver to give clients that peace of mind.”
While Metsel has successfully been helping solve clients’ construction issues since 2016, it was James who was in need of a helping hand before embarking on this journey. He was looking to leave another business he had previously had part-ownership in so that could start Metsel, and was recommended AMD to help with the process.
“Shane (Kaurin) was fantastic, as was the entire AMD team. They really helped guide me during that time, providing advice on successfully parting ways with my previous business partners and, in turn, helping to set up Metsel,” James said.
“AMD were instrumental in that process. I really appreciated their advice on taking advantage of my situation and setting Metsel up for success. Their knowledge, experience and guidance was priceless.
“Since then I’ve continued to work with AMD. We usually have an annual review around the tax time, which I really appreciate. It really gives me peace of mind knowing AMD have mine and Metsel’s best interests at heart, and I can concentrate on the business itself.”
For more information, visit www.metsel.com.au.