Written by Kerryn Caulfield, Executive Director, Composites Australia Inc.
Operating from an industrial site in the semi-rural town of Logan Village, Queensland, Beyond Materials Group built a plant to manufacture Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) rebar in Australia. Founded by entrepreneur Dmitry Yatsenko, the company introduced its proprietary rebar, “BlackBar™,” to the Australian construction market in 2019 following two years of development and production line setup.
BlackBar™, developed by Beyond Materials Group, is a Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) rebar engineered as a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to traditional steel rebar. Produced through the pultrusion process, which involves pulling continuous glass fibres through a resin bath and a heated die, it weighs only a quarter of traditional steel rebar. It offers double the strength, boasts superior tensile strength, and is non-magnetic and does not conduct heat or electricity. non-conductive. The BlackBar™ product range includes bent bars, mesh and cages, providing a versatile suite of options for diverse construction needs.
BlackBar™ has been specified for use in critical infrastructure, such as roadways, bridges, dams, concrete slabs, barrier walls, marine structures, tunnelling and power generation facilities. The unique properties of GFRP rebar make it an attractive choice for engineers and architects looking to enhance the longevity and resilience of concrete structures. With its corrosion resistance, lightweight design, and high tensile strength, GFRP rebar is reshaping standards in reinforced concrete applications across Australia.
URBNSURF Sydney, Australia’s second surf park and the southern hemisphere’s most advanced surf destination, opened to the public in April 2024. Just 20 minutes from the Sydney CBD in Olympic Park, this world-class facility offers a controlled wave environment for passionate surfers of all levels. At the heart of the park is a 3.6-hectare lagoon equipped with Wavegarden™ technology, which produces 1,000 ocean-like waves per hour, providing an authentic surfing experience for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds all year round. Beyond its impressive wave pool, URBNSURF Sydney includes a surf academy, dining facilities, and recreational spaces, creating a complete surf lifestyle destination.
A key material input in constructing the wave pool was BlackBar™GFRP rebar, manufactured by Beyond Materials Group. The corrosion-resistant, lightweight, and high-tensile strength properties of BlackBar™made it an ideal choice for the lagoon’s infrastructure, which must withstand constant water exposure and dynamic loads from wave generation. BlackBar™ reinforcement will enhance the structure’s durability and longevity, reducing maintenance requirements and increasing the facility’s overall resilience—an essential factor in this high-performance environment.
Due to material properties, composite reinforcement cannot be welded like traditional steel reinforcement mesh. Loose rebars are typically tied to the grid on-site.
Beyond Materials Group is the only Australian manufacturer offering prefabricated mesh before delivery, saving labour and time on-site and making it a cost-effective solution for large projects.
According to Dmitry, “The rebar was supplied in mesh form to the Olympic Park site, tied in a grid pattern to ensure even load distribution and reinforce the structural integrity of the concrete. The lightweight mesh allowed delivery of four times more products compared to traditional steel reinforcement and enabled unloading by hand, eliminating the need for forklifts, reducing equipment costs, and improving safety. Workers could easily carry the mesh to its placement area, making installation faster and lowering labour costs while enhancing site safety.”
Beyond Materials Group is ISO 9001 certified.
- BlackBar™ is specially engineered and designed with sand coated profile to improve bond with concrete.
- Bespoke production can be supplied in any custom length and diameter.
- Diameter range: 6-32mm
- Rebar length: 0.25-12m
- Grades: Grade III 60Gpa, Grade I 45 Gpa
- Surface profile: Sand coated
- Available in straight and bent shape, mesh and cages
Concrete has been at the core of construction since ancient times, evolving into a complex, highly engineered material that underpins modern infrastructure worldwide. Renowned for its compressive strength, concrete is weak under tension and easily cracked, which customarily requires the addition of reinforcing steel bars, or rebar, to improve structural resilience. Conventional rebar—usually steel—features ribbed surfaces to bond effectively with the surrounding concrete, enhancing tensile strength and reducing slippage within the structure. Over time, however, steel rebar is susceptible to extensive corrosion when exposed to harsh environments such as marine conditions, de-icing salts, and extreme weather events including torrential rain and flash floods. When rebar corrodes, it expands, creating internal pressure that forces the surrounding concrete to crack and break away in layers. Spalling can weaken structural integrity and make surfaces rough, unsightly and potentially hazardous. Protective coatings and/or galvanised rebar, or using stainless steel rebar can mitigate corrosion; however, their efficacy varies depending on environmental conditions and lifespan requirements, and these solutions often come with increased costs and limitations in highly corrosive environments.
