On the ground at NPCAA Brisbane
Industry conversations, customer stories & a factory floor visit
Jennifer Williamson, Account Executive
There's something irreplaceable about getting in front of customers, and the broader industry in person. This month, Jenn and Jarome headed to Brisbane for the National Precast Concrete Association Australia's (NPCAA) National Conference, and it delivered on every front.
Read below for Jenn's summary of the event.
A week deep in the Precast industry
The NPCAA conference brought together manufacturers, engineers, and industry leaders for a packed program of presentations and discussion. Key themes centred on environmental sustainability, evolving industry standards, and the growing role precast concrete plays in shaping Australia’s built environment. A common thread across sessions was the need for stronger visibility across production, compliance, and handover as expectations from clients continue to rise.
Quality and compliance in precast aren’t just about ticking boxes. They directly influence the safety, longevity, and sustainability of the structures being built. Seeing the ways people in the industry are actively engage with these challenges was both energising and encouraging.
"Using the right technology has given us an edge as it gives us evidence that what is manufactured is made to the engineer’s specification, every time. Our customers can see that we’re doing what we say we’re doing."
Guy Quaife, Director
Precast HQ
What our customers are saying
Some of the most meaningful moments happened over dinner rather than in a conference room. Sitting down with Tim and Anthea from Otway Precast and Ian from MJB Industries, I was genuinely humbled by their unprompted feedback. Both spoke about how CONQA has made their day-to-day work easier, particularly around reporting and ensuring everything is properly documented.
For precast manufacturers, reporting accuracy and documentation control aren’t optional. Hearing directly that we're helping make that easier is a strong signal that CONQA is supporting real workflows on real projects.
Spotlight: Advanced Precast factory tour
Wrapping up the week with a visit to the Advanced Precast yard in Queensland was the perfect way to finish. Seeing precast operations up close is a powerful reminder of why robust QA/QC processes matter so much in this industry.
Mid-tour, Jason, National Operations Manager at Advanced Precast (pictured here with me!), offered a completely unprompted endorsement of CONQA, sharing how much his team is “loving it.” The curiosity that sparked among other attendees was immediate. There’s no stronger validation than hearing that kind of feedback directly on the factory floor, from the teams using the system every day.
A huge thank you to Cadell Taye, Kristen Muster, and the NPCAA team for putting on such a well-run event. Events like NPCAA are a reminder of how quickly the precast sector continues to evolve, and how important it is for QA systems to keep pace with production. It was a great week connecting with customers, learning from industry peers, and seeing that progress firsthand.