A Tasmanian manufacturer is betting that the next wave of residential building in Australia will be led by operators who stop chasing the cheapest option and start defending long term performance.

That was the central theme in today’s Good Builder Podcast conversation with James Renshaw, National Marketing Manager at Bellevue Group Australasia, and Jason Shedden, the group’s GM and National Sales Manager. Together, they represent the team behind VueTrade, a timber connector brand that has been supplying the building industry for more than 35 years.

While the conversation covered products and distribution, it spent just as much time on something harder to measure: trust. Trust in materials. Trust in compliance. Trust in the supply chain. And trust that builders can hand over a home and sleep at night.

A family business with one lane

VueTrade sits under Bellevue Group Australasia and, according to Shedden, the business has stayed close to its roots.

He described the company as “family owned” and shaped by a practical understanding of what builders face on site, noting that his father “was a builder” and that the business has always focused on “innovation and quality” with the goal of making “builders’ lives easier”.

Renshaw reinforced that focus, saying the group tries not to “spread ourselves too thin”. Their lane is timber connectors, and the intent is to bring products to market only when they “add value to the end user, to the builder”, rather than copying what others already stock.

That approach matters in a category that most homeowners never think about. Timber connectors are typically hidden behind walls, floors and decks, but they help hold the structure together. When they are wrong for the environment, or poorly made, the consequences can be expensive to fix and damaging to reputations.

Product development starts with the builder, not the boardroom

One of the more practical insights from the discussion was how VueTrade claims to build new products.

Renshaw said he tightened the company’s product development process after joining, borrowing methods used in other industrial sectors. The key change was market justification upfront, rather than developing a product first and hoping it sells later.

In simple terms, the process described goes like this:

• Identify a real problem builders experience.
• Workshop multiple solutions internally.
• Take those concepts back to builders early.
• Listen for what will not work, and why.
• Refine the product before committing to large production runs.

Renshaw framed it as avoiding the old habit of someone sketching an idea “on the back of a bag” and ending up with stock that “you can’t sell because it’s not quite right”.

Shedden described the same approach more bluntly: “We listen to the tribe. We’re always listening.” In his telling, builders often explain what they wish a product did differently, and those ideas feed directly into what the company chooses to manufacture.

A bet on stainless steel, and the hidden cost of doing it twice

The podcast also touched on one of VueTrade’s earlier product gambles: a stainless steel range.

Shedden recalled an early request from a hardware store for stainless steel post supports when “there was nothing on the market” in that category. The company initially manufactured locally, then scaled production with a focus on using the “right materials where they need to be”.

The reasoning, he said, was shaped by what builders know too well: “He doesn’t know a builder that’s made any money out of a callback yet.”

Both guests returned repeatedly to the same economic argument. The extra cost of using a more durable material in the right environment is small compared to the cost of retrofitting when corrosion or failure shows up later.

Shedden put a rough figure on it, suggesting the difference might be “an extra 500 bucks” or “an extra thousand bucks” on a build, but “how much is it going to cost to retrofit when it’s going wrong”.

That theme became even more pointed when the host described seeing rusted connectors on a relatively new home, raising concerns about what it could take to fix if critical elements are buried behind finished linings.

Renshaw did not speak about specific competitors, but acknowledged a broader problem: imported products that can be “not what’s being advertised”, and in some cases “non compliant”. He argued the risk increases when cost cutting affects thickness, coatings or the underlying specification.

“It’s a two way street”: trust and responsibility in the supply chain

Both guests described trust as shared responsibility.

From VueTrade’s perspective, the first duty is to ensure what reaches shelves is compliant and supported by testing and technical data. Renshaw said the builder picking a product off the shelf is relying on the system to have done the checks. If the product is wrong, “that’s not on them”.

From there, the second part of the trust relationship is usage. Builders still need to select the right product for the job, especially in exposed or coastal conditions where corrosion risk rises.

Renshaw pointed to the need for builders to help clients “compare apples with apples”, explaining why one quote might be higher if it includes more appropriate materials for the environment.

In that framing, education becomes a service, not a sales tactic. The company emphasised the technical resources it provides, including installation visuals, data sheets, and material selection guidance.

The aim, as Renshaw described it, is to make best practice “as easy as possible”.

Australian made where possible, but not as a gimmick

The conversation also addressed Australian manufacturing.

Renshaw said the company is “really proud” of its Australian made range and sees real operational advantages: tighter quality control, faster prototyping, better stock availability, and the ability to make changes quickly without long shipping delays.

Shedden summarised the decision filter simply: “Can we make it in Australia? Yes we can, no we can’t.” If it can be made locally, the preference is to do so.

They both acknowledged a reality many suppliers face: some customers care deeply about Australian made, others care more about price and assume that if it is on the shelf, it must be compliant.

That assumption, they suggested, is exactly where the industry can get hurt.

The “good builder” traits they see on the ground

When asked what separates good builders from those who need support, both guests moved away from technical detail and into mindset.

Shedden focused on willingness to slow down and listen. In his view, the builders who stop and take advice, whether on connectors or any other critical element, are the ones who lift quality.

Renshaw added adaptability. He argued that many smaller builders are more “fluid” and willing to trial new products that save time and improve outcomes. Those early adopters, he said, often gain an edge through better site efficiency and improved delivery.

The host’s take, which the guests agreed with, was that the best builders protect their own peace of mind. Do the job right, use fit for purpose materials, communicate clearly to the client, and reduce the risk of future defects and brand damage.

Where VueTrade wants to be next

Looking ahead, Shedden said the company wants to stay “at the forefront” as a market leader, continuing to innovate and stay close to builder feedback. He referenced the pace of change across the sector, including new technologies, and said VueTrade intends to remain “right in the conversation”.

Renshaw argued that progressive builders are not just responding to market demand, they are shaping it. In his view, the operators who build well, explain their choices, and defend long term performance will define where the industry goes.

For suppliers, the message was clear: stop thinking only about the transaction. Builders want availability, support, technical clarity and confidence that what they install today will not create a problem tomorrow.

And for builders, the challenge is equally direct: the cheapest bracket is only cheap if it never fails.

Author: TGB Editorial