Research and development of new building products have placed the two companies in the top 50 most innovative companies in Australia.

Coming in at number 18 on the list, building products supplier CSR owes it’s recognition to its cutting edge research facility in Schofields, which specialises in the exploration of how energy efficiency and cost can be improved in new construction products.

The structure, itself a 8-star energy rating house, employs over 140 monitoring sensors and achieves a 70% energy saving over a similarly sized dwelling.

Hickory Group‘s initiative of offering prefabricated bathrooms has earned it its place on the list, reducing construction, installation and transport costs for its products.

BRW comments, “The manufacturing facility has the ability to manufacture more than 200 bathroom units a week, and reduces the head contractors’ contact points from a dozen trades to just one.”

Visit the BRW website for the full list.