Building the Future with Saltair
A multi award-winning construction and modular home specialist has refreshed its brand as it steps confidently into a new era of growth from its Coolum headquarters. Kathy Sundstrom explores the evolution of Saltair.
Australia’s most awarded modular builder has entered a new era, refreshing its identity to reflect a business that has grown well beyond homes and now delivers major commercial, government and community projects across the country.
Launching on the Sunshine Coast in 2013, Saltair Modular will now be known as Saltair, signalling an evolution from residential modular builds to full turnkey construction solutions including site preparation, principal contractor services and multi-storey modular projects of up to 10 storeys.
For Saltair Managing Director Steve Bridger, the shift is about substance, not just brand. It reflects the company’s expanding capability, leadership depth and increasingly diverse project portfolio, while maintaining modular construction at its core.
“Modular will always be at the core of what we do, and we’re proud to be the housing industry’s most awarded modular builder,” Steve says.
“But with a highly experienced team and senior leadership involved in billion-dollar in-situ infrastructure projects, it was a natural progression to broaden our offering. Saltair reflects a more holistic construction business.”
That broader offering now spans residential housing, commercial developments, education facilities and large-scale accommodation projects, positioning Saltair as a comprehensive construction partner rather than solely a modular home builder.
A key driver of the company’s growth has been its ability to shift much of the construction process into a controlled factory environment.
In Queensland, where traditional builds are often delayed by rain, humidity and trade shortages, modular construction provides greater program certainty and quality control.
By reducing exposure to weather disruptions and limiting reliance on scarce onsite trades, Saltair can maintain tighter timelines while still engaging regional contractors for site preparation and installation, supporting local economies.
At its core, Saltair represents certainty, combining innovative building methodologies with proven delivery across residential, commercial and government sectors to provide clients with confidence in the program, compliance and outcome.
“We’re at a point where we can deliver more projects, across more sectors, with greater certainty and efficiency than ever before,” Steve says.
The company has significantly strengthened its presence in the government and education sectors, including appointment to the Queensland Government education panel.
A detailed education catalogue enables the delivery of institutional buildings at scale across multiple sites, reinforcing Saltair’s credentials in repeatable, high-quality infrastructure delivery.
Residential, however, remains a cornerstone of the business.
Award-winning homes continue to be delivered alongside larger social and community housing initiatives, with the Coolum industrial showroom offering prospective homeowners a tangible insight into design possibilities and construction quality.
Saltair’s evolution is also reflected in its operational growth.
The company now employs more than 80 full-time staff and is supported by a strong network of local and regional subcontractors.
It operates across three integrated facilities, including a strategic expansion into Brisbane that strengthens its ability to service the Brisbane, Gold Coast and Northern New South Wales markets.
This expanded footprint has increased production capacity, streamlined logistics and enhanced project coordination.
Saltair’s output now sits at approximately 2,000 modules per year and continues to grow, supporting projects ranging from bespoke homes to multi-storey apartments, institutional buildings and large-scale accommodation developments.
An award-winning modular project at Sunshine Coast Airport marked a pivotal moment in the company’s trajectory, demonstrating the viability
of off-site construction in a high-profile commercial environment and reinforcing its credibility beyond detached housing.
Recognition from the Housing Industry Association, including Innovation in Housing and multiple category awards such as Best Modular Home and Best Custom Home under $400,000, has further validated Saltair’s technical leadership and consistent performance.
For Steve, the advantages of factory-based construction are clear.
“As we all know, you can have the perfect program in building, but the minute one of your tradies doesn’t turn up, your whole program’s gone haywire,” he says.
“In our factory, homes are getting inspected five times a day rather than once a fortnight, and that level of oversight makes a significant difference
to the finished result.”
This controlled environment enables improved safety standards, consistent quality assurance and faster project delivery, without compromising compliance or craftsmanship.
The company’s capability also extends to multi-storey modular developments suited to hotels, townhouse communities and other large-scale accommodation projects.
This is also a reflection of modular construction’s growing acceptance as a mainstream solution for complex builds and that, when it comes to construction capabilities, there is very little modular cannot do.
The transition from Saltair Modular to Saltair signals business maturity, stronger commercial positioning and confidence in the expanding role modular construction will play in addressing housing supply and infrastructure demand.
As construction pressures intensify and expectations around sustainability, speed and design continue to rise, Saltair’s refresh is more
than a name change.
It is a strategic repositioning that reflects a company building at scale, with certainty, and with its sights firmly set on the future.
