Mercury Rising
Founded in 1964 in Melbourne, Askin Performance Panels started manufacturing insulated panels – an insulation material sandwiched between two layers of steel – for temperature-controlled buildings (including for walls, floors and roofs) from a single factory in South Melbourne.
Over the next 50 years, the business progressively expanded to manufacture a range of panel products from five factories with sales offices across all major metropolitan areas in Australia and New Zealand.
A Controlled Environment
Steve Clarke and Stephen McMillan joined Askin in 2012 to consolidate business performance and drive growth after the Global Financial Crisis. With a ‘customer first’ culture and continuous improvement in product development and manufacturing, they have stewarded the business to new heights in sales and profitability and developed a highly credentialed management team.
Today, Askin Performance Panels is the largest manufacturer and installer of panels in Australia and New Zealand – servicing more than 1,700 construction and panel installer customers annually. XFLAM – Askin’s patented fire-rated product – has been recognised as the premier insulated panel system by the construction industry.
Fresh Opportunities
In 2018, The Growth Fund partnered with Steve Clarke, Stephen McMillan and other management team members to replace legacy funding sources and support Askin’s growth. The partnership has provided the business with new sources of capital and an appetite to accelerate its strategic plans.
Askin Performance Panels remains focused on growing its manufacturing footprint across Australasia, driving factory efficiency through investment in next generation processes and equipment, expanding its installation base and continuing the adoption of XFLAM as the preferred fire-rated insulation material.