Weathertex is far from your new experimental kid on the block material. This cladding system has been around for 60 years and comes loaded with sustainability features.
“It’s 97 per cent hardwood, 3 per cent wax and has no resins, glues, formaldehyde or silica,” managing director of Weathertex Jason O’Hagan tells The Green List.
Which means it’s safe to use and complies with the new legislation that aims to rid the nation of silicosis.
And it’s always been made the same way. Even the manufacturing process has never changed, though it’s been lately enhanced with new equipment and technology.
The company was established by William Mason who created the engineered wood product masonite, bought by CSR Timber Products and then acquired by Paul Michael around 30 years ago, Jason says.
Today, it remains in the same location at Raymond Terrace in Newcastle, about 170 kilometres north of Sydney, and employs 130 local staff and a sales and marketing team of 20 based around Australia.
A favourite with pre-fab customers
Jason explains that their customer base extends from Australia to New Zealand, Dubai, and across various countries. Weathertex is widely used in residential, multi-residential, and commercial projects and is preferred by builders, specifiers, and homeowners seeking a sustainable and durable cladding solution.
“We supply into schools projects as well as into prefabrication, or modular housing, which is gathering a lot of momentum around the country nowadays.”
According to Jason, one of the biggest appeals of Weathertex is its durability. Prefab manufacturers can put it on the back of a truck and not worry that it will crack or break. It’s also flexible and lightweight, with each of its 3660mm x 1196 mm panels eight kilograms lighter than fibre cement panels of the same size.
Jason says carpenters like working with it and can use standard woodworking tools. “You don’t need special blades or drills.”
He’s also proud to flag the company’s commitment to rigorous third-party certifications, providing transparency and accountability in an industry sometimes plagued by greenwashing.
“All our products have a better than zero carbon footprint. We’re the first manufacturer globally to receive a Platinum LCARate™ and the first to receive the Platinum HealthRATE™ for our Weathertex’s Natural Range, both from Global GreenTag.
The company is also Codemark certified and part of the Declare Label Program.
Jason adds that Weathertex cladding uses only waste timber sourced locally from PEFC and Responsible Wood certified forests and controlled sources, ensuring that materials come from sustainably managed sources.
Weathertex is certified with PEFC, Global GreenTag, Declare Label, and more. To look at all its certifications, click here.
