Safetyline Jalousie – As a proud Australian, family-owned and operated business, SMR Designs Pty Ltd is authorised to manufacture and distribute Safetyline Jalousie louvre windows in Australia and the South Pacific.
The one answer to all your home styling problems is nothing other than Louvre windows. With a unique style quotient and energy-efficiency, louvre windows are also one of the most stylish windows present in market, giving your house that extra edge. Having been around for decades, louvre windows are known to accomplish the job better than any other windows present in the market.
Featuring for The Enterprise World’s this issue of Enterprising Companies of the Year is Safetyline Jalousie, an Australian company delivering performance louvre window solutions.
In this interview with Leigh Rust, Founder & Director, let us know more about the journey of the company.
Brief us about the company, what inspired you to start the company?
As a proud Australian, family-owned and operated business, SMR Designs Pty Ltd is authorised to manufacture and distribute Safetyline Jalousie louvre windows in Australia and the South Pacific.
Over the past decade, the operation has grown from a small 60m2 factory with 5 staff to a 2500m2 facility with 50+ staff with headquarters in Sydney and offices in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Led by brothers Leigh and Nathan Rust, Safetyline Jalousie was established in Australia in 2009 and has become a market leader in producing high quality performance louvre window systems and ventilation solutions.
From a young age, the co-founding directors were exposed to business and the construction industry through their father’s successful manufacturing and installation company (Vergola NSW). However, when the brothers completed school they were initially turned away from working in the family business to pursue their own careers.
Fast forward several years and both Leigh and Nathan eventually went on to join their father at Vergola and worked their way up through the ranks, starting on the factory floor, moving to manufacturing and then into sales and management positions. After 10 years, the sibling duo then made the leap to launch their own venture – establishing Safetyline Jalousie
Please tell us about your team.
Family values, along with the company’s values and standards have contributed greatly to Safetyline Jalousie’s success. SMR Designs P/L employs a diverse team of passionate and professional individuals that drive quality and innovation and work with clients to make a positive contribution to the built environment.
We’re proud to still have a number of key employees who have worked with the company since our foundation. We’re also proud of our cultural diversity and an incredible team of females working within the administrative and manufacturing areas of our business.
Please brief us about your professional experience.
I have over 21-years of experience working within the Australian Manufacturing sector in the niche area of construction.
What are the key achievements of your business journey?
Taking out the Australian Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Manufacturing in 2019, becoming listed on the Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs of Australia list four times running and being recognised internationally as a recipient of a Silver Stevie Award for Product Innovation.
We were also recognised as shortlisted contenders for the Australian Financial Review’s Most Innovative Companies in 2020.
On a personal level, I am most proud of being a father of three, with our fourth child on the way. Balancing fatherhood with entrepreneurship is probably the biggest achievement of my life, my family are everything to me and will always come first.
Which one is your favourite quote?
I don’t lose, I either win or learn
