Tasmania’s Kings Outdoor Living embraces aluminium with Capral support for locally made shade and shelter systems

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Tasmanian manufacturer Kings Outdoor Living is increasingly turning to aluminium as it expands its locally made shade and shelter products for schools, parks, sporting clubs, hospitality venues and homes. 

According to Capral Aluminium, the company has increasingly focused on local manufacturing to address the freight, handling and supply challenges involved in sourcing products from mainland Australia.

Sam King, Kings co-owner, said, “With the Bass Strait freight cost, and complexity, and timing, and damage, we thought, ‘We should probably start making some of this stuff.’” 

The company initially manufactured many of its locally made products using steel. However, the weight of steel created practical challenges, particularly because Kings is involved in both manufacturing and installing its products.

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“Once you’ve carried large steel pipe up flights of stairs with a few guys, you realise the advantages of aluminium,” King said. He further stated, “Because we install what we make, our thought process is always really heavily orientated to how are they actually going to get that to that location.”

It has since incorporated aluminium into its modular product systems. This includes shade sail posts and umbrellas. The lighter weight of aluminium has helped with handling and installation, especially for products installed in coastal environments.

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Kings now employs around 17 people and uses CAD and 3D printing to develop and refine products before they move into manufacturing. The company also prefabricates components at its Sorell workshop, helping reduce the amount of work required during installation.

Capral Aluminium has supported Kings with extrusion design, material selection and technical advice. It also manufactures certain components that Kings does not produce in-house.

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“Capral’s capability, especially talking you through extrusions, how they work, and the grades of aluminium, was a bit of a learning curve for me,” King said. He said Capral’s technical support has also helped the company as it expanded its use of aluminium in product development.

Kings has started using Capral’s LocAl lower-carbon aluminium in some of its products. After supplying products to northern New South Wales, the company is now looking to expand beyond Tasmania and build its presence in mainland Australia while continuing to develop its manufacturing operations.