A measure of trust
How Burgtec delivered for a major national public service department
A major national public service department project in Canberra has set a new benchmark for Burgtec and for public-sector fit-outs across Australia. We sat down with Burgtec’s Director of Sales, Oliver Kennard, to talk about the scale, complexity and lessons from delivering one of the largest office furniture projects in the country.
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The project represents one of the largest office fit-outs undertaken in Australia in recent years, covering more than 33,000 square metres and accommodating around 3,000 work points at a newly constructed office building in Canberra. It was the first in a series of new offices for the department, intended to establish a benchmark for future fit-outs nation-wide. “It’s the biggest project in Canberra for about three years,” says Oliver. “The scale alone was significant, but it was also about credibility. Only a handful of manufacturers in the country are capable of tendering for this kind of project, so to even have a seat at the table was an achievement. To win it on product quality and delivery capability was a milestone for us.”
While Burgtec has delivered major government and commercial projects before, this one tested every aspect of the company’s capability. “It was a completely new, purpose-built building,” Oliver explains. “We were responsible for the full workstation component, which made up around half of the furniture budget. The department was very discerning. They knew exactly what they wanted and set high benchmarks for quality, functionality and value.”
Unlike many tenders that are decided on paper, this one required each shortlisted supplier to build a prototype. Oliver describes the final stage as “a live comparison of product performance.” “They went from one showroom to the next, comparing every detail,” he says. “They checked how the sit-stand desk moved, the cable management, the privacy screens, the feel of the product. Their IT team even crawled underneath to see how easy it was to plug in equipment. Every small decision counted.”
Burgtec’s prototype was designed and built within two weeks. “We weren’t the cheapest,” Oliver says, “but we scored best overall. The builder had confidence in our ability to deliver, and the client trusted the product. They said they liked our design, but more than that, they liked working with us. The builder told us, ‘They like your product the best, but more than anything, they like you the most. Burgtec feels more authentic.’ That trust gave them confidence in the long term.”
Once the project moved into delivery, Burgtec’s logistical planning proved critical. “We knew the program would be tight, so we turned an entire floor of the underground car park into a temporary warehouse,” Oliver explains. “That allowed us to bring in bulk deliveries early, store them on site, and assemble as the building progressed. It reduced risk for the builder and helped us stay ahead of schedule.”
The technical achievements of the project were equally significant. The workstations featured custom full-depth privacy screens with a distinctive shaped profile, tighter radii than standard models, and precisely engineered cable management to suit the department’s IT requirements. Sit-stand mechanisms were stress-tested for reliability, and each workstation was supplied with a 10-year warranty on every component. The result was a product that met the department’s expectations for durability, safety and ease of use at scale.
The project also became a learning opportunity. “Every major project helps refine our process,” Oliver reflects. “This one taught us how to scale up effectively. It pushed us to plan in even greater detail and to communicate closely with the builder every step of the way. That experience has shaped how we approach future public-sector work. It’s shown that we can deliver complex, high-stakes projects while maintaining the quality and service Burgtec is known for.”
For Burgtec, the result was more than a successful delivery. It was proof of capability, integrity and trust at a national scale.