Ortech Industries Pty Ltd

The Ortech story covers many decades.  The history goes back to the original invention of compressing agricultural fibre into boards.  The method was discovered in Sweden in 1933.  The product was called Stramit Board – Stramit being a derivative of the Swedish word for straw.  From 1933 to 1945 the original primitive invention was refined to produce a rough board that was mainly used for thermal insulation purposes in Sweden – roofs and walls.

In 1945 the Tomo trading Co Ltd headed by T.J Mosesson acquired from Sweden the Stramit Board manufacturing rights for the United Kingdom – British Stramit.

In 1953, John Hobart an Australian businessman, while on a visit to Europe, became interested in the process for manufacturing a board from wheat straw fibre.  John recognised the potential of the product.  Its properties of high thermal insulation, fire resistance and first class behaviour in conditions of high relative humidity – temperature, made it a very useful building component.