Stormtech, a renowned Australian drainage solutions designer and manufacturer, has been redefining the architectural potential of drains with every product launch since the company’s inception in 1989. From the invention of the signature linear drain to the industry-altering threshold system, this family-run business has been paving the way for modern drainage. Now, Stormtech’s very first aluminium drain – aptly named Wave Grate after its unique design – brings the same cutting-edge quality to the architecture and design industry.
Embodying over 30 years of Stormtech’s innovative efforts, the highly-anticipated Wave Grate has been designed and engineered in Australia to fuse affordability with outstanding performance, setting new precedence for both residential and commercial bathroom applications. “What we’ve learnt over the last three decades is that the design needs to be as simple as possible, yet provide multiple benefits to different stakeholders,” explains Stormtech Managing Director, Troy Creighton.
The ingenious product is an apt reflection of this outlook. Made entirely with locally sourced Australian aluminium, guided by fundamentals of sustainable production and anchored by the principles of Design Thinking, the new drainage solutions ticks all the boxes.
“It is designed and manufactured in Australia for Australians and will give excellent performance suited to our harsh environment,” Troy says and adds that everything about the Wave Grate is aimed at making life easier. “It is comfortable to walk on and because the top rails have a shallow radius, and debris in the channel is concealed, it's also more aesthetically pleasing. At the same time, it maintains high flow rates, is resistant to corrosion and provides a safe wet area finish as it ‘grabs’ water using surface tension and reduces standing water on the grate.”
Understandably, this pioneering system has been in the making for decades. The first challenge Stormtech had to overcome was the limitations of aluminium, which – although an excellent material all around – isn’t deemed suitable for sanitary drainage when used in contact with cement and concrete. “As the Wave Grate will be used in a wet environment, this is a critical factor to overcome and ensure the product is fit for purpose,” Troy points out. “We’ve overcome this by using either our existing uPVC channel, or our stainless channel, both of which protect the aluminium perfectly.”
To ensure Wave Grate meets the high-performance expectations of all Stormtech products, an insulator has been invented to separate the aluminium grate and the stainless-steel channel, and eliminate the potential for corrosion. “Half measure is not in our DNA,” Troy says proudly.
That sentiment is precisely why the launch of Wave Grate took years to finalise – while Stormtech’s stainless-steel grate designs are known all around the world, Troy was keen to ensure that all legal and technical design matters were solved first. “That enabled us to apply for the assurance of WaterMark Certification, and we could finally make the product to the highest standard,” he enthuses. Certified under WaterMark WMTS:-040:2021, the grate is designed not only to comply with the Plumbing Code of Australia but also to exceed Australian Building Standards for quality and safety – the elements of building and construction industry Troy feels particularly strongly about.
But that wasn’t the only aspect of product development and manufacturing that took a considerable amount of time. Because a grate like this has never been made before, Troy and his team found themselves in a pretty unique situation. “We had to custom-build machinery that would be capable of producing the new grate on a large scale, here, in Australia,” he explains. With Stormtech’s commitment to local manufacturing, it was paramount to invent and engineer a solution that would enable the company to manufacture the new product using only Australian materials, and adhering to the highest sustainability standards.
The result of this considerate, committed and meticulous process is a trailblazing drainage system that punctuates Stormtech’s innovative design language, and expands the design potential of the modern bathroom. “We wanted to ensure that the grate wouldn’t be see-through, and that it would maintain the signature linear rail achieved with wedge wire. The venturi and aperture are angled sideways to prevent a direct view from above the grate to beneath, and the top surface of each of the ‘rails’ is slightly radiused. This gives a ‘soft’ feel on bare feet,” Troy describes the simple and sophisticated, yet easy to clean design.
The product is available in modular kits, made-to-length, and fixed length units in both uPVC and stainless-steel channels, and comes in a silver, gold brass or satin black finish. “The option to anodise the grate allows greater flexibility in colour matching designs,” Troy adds. “Plus, all our colours are sourced from sustainable suppliers who have robust expertise in their fields. That means the anodising is continuously tested in a wide range of applications and environments, and is designed to be durable and fade-resistant.”
While this exclusive and highly original product does pack a punch, it doesn’t come with an exorbitant price tag – Wave Grate is the much-anticipated alternative for architects, designers and specifiers who are after a high-end product at a mid-range price that is Australian through and through.
