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Administrators to embattled architectural glassmaker Oceania Glass have officially announced the end of an era for the company with plans to wind down its manufacturing operations over the next few weeks after failing to find a buyer for the business.
The looming closure of the company’s Dandenong factory will lead to the loss of 151 jobs – with 56 staff let go immediately and the remainder set to go over the next few weeks.
Oceania Glass, which is backed by Crescent Capital Partners, appointed administrators on 4 February 2025 in a major blow to the Australian construction industry. The company is the only operator of a float glass manufacturing line in Australasia.
The Dandenong-based company has 260 staff and produces 165,000 tonnes of flat glass annually, with distribution centres in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Brisbane.
After failing to find a buyer for the business as a whole, the administrators revealed today that they have “regretfully” made the decision to cease manufacturing at Dandenong.
“As a result, the administrators have had to make the difficult decision to make 56 employees at the Dandenong manufacturing facility redundant effective immediately with the potential for a further 95 redundancies over the coming weeks as the company’s float line and production facility is wound down,” say the administrators in a statement.
The Oceania Glass distribution facility located on site at Dandenong will continue operating as usual over the next few weeks as the administrators look to sell the company’s national distribution business.
The administrators say they are working with “several interested parties through a due diligence process”.
“We wish to extend our thanks to the employees of Oceania Glass for their patience and co-operation during this difficult time as we begin the process of ceasing manufacturing operations at the Dandenong factory,” says Lisa Gibb, voluntary administrator from Grant Thornton.
“We acknowledge this latest outcome is stressful for employees and their families and are providing support services to those affected.”
Oceania Glass can track its roots back as far as 1856 when its first glass was sold. The company was spun out of glass manufacturer Viridian in 2019 after it was acquired from building materials group CSR by Crescent Capital Partners for $155 million.
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