Modular Construction Takes Up Essendon Fields Site

The robots are on their way from Sweden and work has started on Modscape’s new facility at Essendon.

After deciding it wanted to be closer to the Melbourne CBD, the modular construction firm opted to move its operations to the only greenfield industrial precinct within 15 minutes of the city.

Modscape started construction work on the nearly 40,000sq m site at Essendon Fields earlier this week. The work will include a 20,000sq m manufacturing facility for Modscape’s coming new robotic construction line, a 5500sq m warehouse that will be leased out, the extension of Global Avenue and associated infrastructure.

Completion is scheduled for early 2024.

FDC Constructions is undertaking to building on the land owned by the airport on behalf of the government.

Modscape, which will lease its to-be-built facility, builds prefabricated building modules that are 90 per cent complete before being transported to sites for installation.

▲ Golden shovels used in the sod turning ceremony sit in front of early works already under way on the site at Essendon Fields.

The company has been based further west of Melbourne in Brooklyn but was not close enough to key transport links.

“For seven out of 10 staff members the new facility will be closer to home,” Modscape chief executive Jan Gyrn said. 

“As well, Essendon Fields is near the airport, making it an ideal location for Modscape as approximately half of our clients are interstate.” 

The move will also allow the company to significantly increase output, he said.

“The move will enable Modscape to triple its current manufacturing capacity and produce up to 2000 modules per year,” Gyrn said.

▲ Modscape director Stefan Seketa, Essendon Fields chief executive Brendan Pihan, Essendon Fields director Ben Beck and Modscape chief executive Jan Gyrn at the sod-turning ceremony.

It also hits a target for Essendon Fields of creating 20,000 jobs within the 305ha precinct over the next 20 years with Modscape adding 60 jobs.

“This new facility marks the continued growth of the light industrial precinct which is already home to innovative aviation and tech companies such as  Leonardo Helicopters and Elenium Automation,” Essendon Fields chief executive Brendan Pihan said.

“This investment by Modscape and Essendon Fields is consistent with our masterplan and meets Melbourne’s high demand for well-located commercial and industrial facilities.”

Pihan confirmed a construction cost of $35 million and said that around $500 million had been invested in the masterplan for the precinct to date its inception in 2002.

Watson Young has been named as the design team for the project.

Prefabrication has been touted as a key solution to rising construction costs and getting projects completed more efficiently and faster.