Atlas Paving

ATLAS GROUP

In 1954 a man with a vision cleared 40 hectares of bush land in Malaga, (one of Perth’s northern suburbs) to create Manx Bricks (this would later become part of Atlas Group), where lime silica bricks were produced on site. The founder of the company Mr Peter Panizza (also renowned for Peter Pan Roof Tiles) later followed with the production of compressed concrete pavers in 1991 and the production of reconstituted limestone pavers from 2004 under the Atlas Paving banner.

Today Atlas Group is a diverse company with an emphasis on the manufacture of bricks and paving, waste management (in conjunction with the City of Stirling) and farming. Atlas Group remains a family owned business with a strong commitment towards safety, employing over 130 people.

Waste Management
In 1980 the Atlas Group quarry in Malaga, was gazetted as a landfill and Atlas Group commenced disposal of municipal and commercial waste at the quarry. In March 1989 Atlas began utilising biogas from landfill-gas bores, used as part of the manufacturing process for curing bricks and later pavers. The system was the first in Western Australia.

As well as the landfill site, Atlas Group investigated other, more environmentally friendly, methods of waste disposal. Anaerobic digestion was selected as the preferred option by Atlas Waste. However, following the subsequent introduction of further regulatory constraints, the scope of the project was extended to incorporate a large-scale aerobic composting operation at an additional site, which met the newly developed criteria for such operations.

Atlas Group has developed a complete, totally integrated waste management solution which not only met the national objective of 50% diversion from landfill for the year 2000, but exceeded this target. The Atlas System is an economically viable, environmentally sustainable solution, which sets new standards for beneficial re-use of Municipal Solid Waste. And it is already operating in Australia.

A link to the Virtual Tour of the Atlas Group Waste facility is available thanks to the City of Stirling.

Download: Atlas Group compost quality - Murdoch University findings
Composted Organics in Agriculture (pdf 56kb)

Atlas Farm
Atlas Group owns and operates under management; a property known as ‘Atlas Farm’ which is situated 120km north of Perth on the Calingiri West Road (20km east of the Great Northern Highway).

The Atlas Farm area totals 8 000ha (20 000ac) and yields a variety of crops including canola.