Transmutation – where artisan craftsmanship meets large-scale construction – is pioneering a new approach to recycling, creating high‑performance building materials like reconstituted limestone blocks.
Starting in a shed in regional South Australia, Transmutation has evolved from crafting homewares out of bread tags to addressing some of the construction industry’s most pressing waste challenges. Founded by Brad Scott, the company began with a straightforward yet ambitious goal: giving waste a second life.
Transmutation’s ingenuity soon caught the attention of major brands, leading to collaborations with clothing retailer Country Road Australia and architectural paint company Dulux. But it was the latter partnership that opened the door to large-scale construction applications.
Powder coating waste – a notoriously difficult material to recycle – became the foundation for PostPrime Plastic, now used in concrete bar chairs and other essential construction components.
With construction and demolition waste accounting for over a third of Australia’s total waste, Scott saw an opportunity too big to ignore.
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Expanding without losing identity
Transitioning from artisan craftsmanship to industrial-scale production was not without its hurdles.
“We are still going through those growing pains. The first challenge was adjusting our methodologies,” says Scott.
Early creations were made using machines built from old ovens, car jacks and scrap metal. Scaling up required an overhaul – bigger machines, upgraded facilities and refined processes – resulting in the company’s first major investment: a 210-tonne injection moulding machine.
“We can now produce 3,000 bar chairs in an eight-hour shift, whereas our handmade machines could only produce about 14 items a day,” says Scott. “The difference in scale and product range with injection moulding is significant.”
To meet demand, Transmutation secured investment, brought on new employees and partnered with a Sydney-based moulding company for larger components. This approach has enabled growth while maintaining the company’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.
Finding a common thread
As Transmutation expanded its product range, Scott considered how homewares, bar chairs and construction materials could co-exist under one brand. The answer lay in material science.
“Our focus is on finding a path to market for hard-to-recycle plastics, as well as more conventional plastics, sometimes even in combination,” he says.
By experimenting with additives, Transmutation tailors plastics for new applications, whether repurposing a waste stream into a construction material or enhancing an existing product with recycled content.
Building with recycled limestone
One standout success has been in reconstituted limestone, a material traditionally made by blending limestone rubble with cement and aggregate. Family-run business Jaffa Limestone approached Transmutation to improve sustainability without compromising performance.
Rising to the task, Transmutation developed a plastic aggregate replacement sourced from e-waste, automotive waste and soft plastics from supermarket recycling programs.
“Our focus was on the aggregate component, replacing up to 20 per cent with plastic aggregate,” says Scott. “It integrates seamlessly into the existing system.”
By reassessing the remaining 80 per cent of aggregate and identifying alternatives for the cement component, Transmutation helped reduce the product’s carbon footprint by an estimated 40 per cent. The result is a lighter, more thermally efficient limestone block with performance on par with the original.
Branded Jaffa Limestone Transmutation, the product is now available and expected to secure an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) in nine months.
“Jaffa Limestone Transmutation is ideal for tunnel entrances, retaining walls, large garden stones and paving stones,” says Scott. “It also suits residential construction in towns like Robe, located on the Limestone Coast, where limestone façades blend with historic architecture.”
Overcoming outdated perceptions
Despite its breakthroughs, Transmutation still faces industry resistance to the use of recycled products and materials.
“Early recycled plastics had quality issues, which led to a stigma,” says Scott. “But we are proving that today’s recycled materials can meet – and sometimes exceed – performance requirements in construction.”
Cost remains another hurdle. Recycled materials can carry a premium due to collection, contamination, cleaning and granulation processes before manufacturing even begins.
Beyond these barriers, corporate sustainability commitments do not always translate into action.
“ESG initiatives are gaining momentum, with corporations appointing sustainability managers and governments incorporating recycled content targets into contracts,” says Scott. “However, follow-through is often lacking. The rhetoric around sustainability is strong, but procurement teams and architects are not always implementing these changes effectively.”
That said, Scott believes the construction industry is at a pivotal moment. Demand for high-quality recycled products is growing, and Transmutation is meeting expectations.
“Leading companies are taking procurement seriously, setting an example for others to follow,” says Scott. “Change happens in waves – early adopters drive the shift, followed by cautious followers, then the mainstream. The companies that resist may struggle to survive in the next 20 years.”
From niche to necessity
While Transmutation’s bread tag homewares captured national attention, its real impact lies in construction. Now embedded in the sector, the company is expanding operations, hiring new employees and appointing a CEO.
Scott, meanwhile, is focused on research and development, pushing the boundaries of recycled construction materials.
“We are working on everything from plastic components like bar chairs, wheel stops and light switches to new applications such as cement-based materials that integrate into limestone blocks or concrete,” he says.
“But what really excites us is the potential in resin technology and fit-out applications. Take benches, for example. With the current issues around Caesarstone, there’s an opportunity to replace it with recycled plastic alternatives – ones that are food-safe and sustainable.
“Every material Transmutation develops is eco-friendly, fully recycled and certified with EPDs to support Scope 3 emissions reporting and lifecycle analysis.”
The company is also considering how to recycle its products at the end of their lifespan, focusing on stewardship, not just innovation. Instead of introducing a new material only to find it is not recyclable later, Transmutation ensures end-of-life solutions from the start.
As sustainability targets in construction become more stringent, Scott sees Transmutation’s materials playing an increasing role in future projects. The company is securing accreditations like EPDs and ISO certifications, ensuring it operates in a highly accredited, data-driven environment where quality is key.
“A major focus for us moving forward will be data collection – tracking materials, understanding their origins and ensuring responsible sourcing,” says Scott.
“Provenance plays a critical role in ESG governance, and stricter construction requirements support our approach rather than hinder it. Even though we are a small company, we prioritise quality and consistency. We are not just punching above our weight – we are delivering reliable, high-quality materials.”
With innovation at its core and the construction industry seeking more sustainable alternatives, Transmutation demonstrates that waste is not an endpoint – it is the foundation for something far greater.