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Factory-certified SIPs manufactured in Victoria with complete design and delivery support.
PanelTech Systems is reshaping how homes are built in Australia—one structural insulated panel at a time. From its factory in Laverton North, the business manufactures SIPs designed to speed up housing delivery and reduce reliance on traditional framing methods. The system is certified for acoustic, thermal, fire and structural performance, and is already being used in live residential projects across Victoria. (main image: James Coghlan, Managing Director, PanelTech Systems manufacturing structural insulated panels.)
Founded in 2024, PanelTech was established to offer a practical alternative to conventional timber framing, with SIPs delivered as full wall sections ready for installation. The system is supported by in-house design, integrated manufacturing, and third-party validation for use under the National Construction Code.
“We saw a gap between what builders needed and what was available locally,” said James Coghlan, Managing Director of PanelTech Systems. “There was no Australian manufacturer supplying SIPs as a full wall system. We’ve built a process that aligns with how projects are run—and how sites operate.”
“Our goal was to provide something that worked with builders, not against them,” Coghlan added. “That meant a complete system—not just panels, but design support, sequencing, and site coordination.”
Each panel is made from OSB3 board laminated to a rigid expanded polystyrene (EPS) core. Panels are precision-cut to include openings for windows, doors and services, then labelled for sequencing and packed for rapid site install. Homes built using SIPs can reach lock-up in as little as three days.
“A single-storey house can be installed in a matter of days,” said Coghlan. “It’s not a concept—it’s already happening.”
Manufacturing informed by automotive principles
Much of the company’s approach to manufacturing and system design reflects the background of Operations Director George Noveski, who spent over two decades in automotive engineering, including time with Toyota.
“When I came into construction, I noticed huge inefficiencies—things like ‘pick up, put down’ handling that wouldn’t survive a day on a production line,” said Noveski. “In automotive, every motion has to add value. We’re applying that same mindset here.”
According to Noveski, the current labour shortage has accelerated the appetite for systems that reduce complexity. “You can’t wait for more trades to show up. The job now is to design processes that use the labour you have, without compromising quality.”
Panels are manufactured entirely in-house, with span charts certified by FC Design to support up to three storeys. PanelTech uses hot-melt lamination for bonding with a Barberan machine that produces a panel every 30 seconds, followed by CNC cutting and resplining everything is automated, with MGP timber and LVL splines used to complete the wall and roof system.
“When everything comes out of the factory labelled and sequenced, the site work is just assembly,” said Noveski. “It reduces errors, speeds up the program, and makes it less dependent on highly skilled labour.”
Certified performance for regulatory compliance
Fire, acoustic, energy and structural ratings are all third-party certified to meet NCC requirements. A key milestone was achieving FRL ratings of up to 120/120/120, confirmed by Jensen Hughes, for wall systems clad with fire-rated plasterboard.
“We always get asked about fire ratings—and rightly so,” said Noveski. “The testing gives developers and surveyors the certainty they need.”
PanelTech’s intertenancy wall assemblies were tested by CSIRO, achieving Rw+Ctr 50 or greater in accordance with AS/NZS 1276, satisfying acoustic separation requirements between dwellings.
Thermal testing confirms R-values of R4.23 for external wall panels and up to R2.77 for internal walls. The performance allows new homes to meet 7-Star NatHERS energy ratings without additional bulk insulation.
“This is a system that’s fully validated for Australian use,” said Coghlan. “It’s not imported, it’s not speculative—it’s engineered and certified locally.”
Onsite in Cobblebank and Berwick
PanelTech is supplying SIPs to Miravor Property Group’s 220-lot Cobblebank development in Melbourne’s west, with homes built entirely from SIP walls and roof systems. A second Miravor project—24 townhomes in Berwick—is also in planning.
“We’re not positioning this as niche,” said Coghlan. “It’s about creating a repeatable model that developers can rely on at scale.”
“Part of our job is to change perceptions,” said Coghlan. “People assume SIPs are only for flat-roofed kit homes. We’re showing them otherwise.”
Design integration simplifies approvals
All designs are processed through PanelTech’s in-house architecture team, which works directly with structural engineers and surveyors familiar with the system. The design process prioritises panel standardisation to reduce factory labour and speed up fabrication.
“We get the best results when we’re engaged early, at concept stage,” said Coghlan. “We can still adapt existing designs, but early involvement avoids redesigns and delays.”
System built for replication
PanelTech’s operating model draws heavily on Noveski’s automotive background.
“We’re not chasing one-off prototypes,” he said. “The real opportunity is repeatability. If the system’s designed right, you don’t need master trades to install it—you just need clear documentation and tight sequencing.”
Coghlan agreed: “We want builders to see this as a dependable option. Certified, efficient, and Australian made.”
See: PanelTech Systems
