The Challenge

BHP stipulated more than a basic acrylic sign, wanting instead something made from solid Sydney Bluegum. It had to include motifs of indigenous animal designs and fit their new offices featuring indigenous themes throughout.

The Solution

The initial challenge was to source Sydney Bluegum within Queensland, as interstate freight was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We succeeded in sourcing a supplier north of Toowoomba, who delivered the machined wood to us.

The slabs were dressed smooth and joined together using wood biscuits and structural adhesive to create a durable wood panel. The panel was cut to size using a CNC router, with pockets machined into the rear that reduced weight and allowed for a welded steel frame to prevent warping.

The panel was inserted into our laser system, where we burned the indigenous styled animal designs as per BHP’s supplied graphics. We then sanded back the burn to reveal the natural grain of the wood, giving the animal designs more texture.

Once all surfaces had at least 3 coats of marine-grade clear-coat, letters were laser-cut from matte white acrylic with double-sided adhesive. These letters were installed on-site to ensure no damage occurred to the lettering during transit.

If you have a challenge, we will solve it.