Carrying the Name Forward: A Personal Journey in a Proudly Australian Owned and Operated Family Business

For 70 years, Latham Australia has been manufacturing architectural floor, wall, ceiling and roof products that are engineered for reliability, safety, and longevity. Third generation family member and current director, Dane Latham describes the company as “a multi-generational, proudly Australian-owned and operated company that manufactures everything right here in Sydney, Australia.” 

Dane says that he is proud to be continuing the family tradition. “I’ve been part of this company my whole life. When your family name is on the building, on every product label, and in every email signature, you don’t take quality lightly. You carry the weight of a legacy, and I mean that both figuratively and literally.” 

Who We Are and What We Do 

At its core, Latham Australia is a third-generation family business, now with our fourth generation stepping into customer facing and operational roles. We manufacture a wide range of architectural products for the construction industry, with a focus on commercial applications including airports, hospitals, transport hubs, schools, and iconic public buildings.  

Our product categories include: 

• Safety Systems: Stair Tread Nosings and tactile indicators that help make public spaces safer. 

• Entry Matting: Custom fabricated to suit specific site applications.  

• Mechanical Expansion Joint Covers: Engineered systems that accommodate structural movement in large-scale buildings. 

• Neoprene Expansion Joints: Ideal for tiled or topped floor surfaces across large commercial interiors. 

We have product installed in buildings all over the world, but if there’s one project that always makes me stop and smile, it’s the Sydney Opera House. Knowing that our solid brass stair nosings and expansion joints are helping preserve such an iconic structure is a real point of pride. 

A Business Built on Specification 

We operate in what’s known as a specification industry. That means our products are usually specified by architects, designers, and engineers early in the project lifecycle. Getting the specification right and maintaining it through to installation is critical. 

That’s why we work so closely with professionals throughout the chain: from leading architectural firms and Specifiers to Project Managers, Builders, and Sub-contractors. We provide technical information, engineering support, and end-to-end guidance to ensure the product specified is the product that gets installed.

My Role in the Business 

My official title is "Director" but as anyone who has experience with tight-knit family businesses would know, I wear a lot of hats. On any given day I'm managing IT systems, human resources,
marketing, logistics, plant and property maintenance, and even stepping in to assist with sales, suppliers, technical queries and quality control as required. I like to joke that I’m the company’s Chief Firefighter as most days I’m dealing with a hundred things flying at me at once. But at the heart of it, my job is to make sure everything runs smoothly from manufacturing to customer service and that we never compromise on our values.  

Our People, Our Legacy 

One of the things I’m most proud of is our team. The average tenure in our office is more than 10 years, and some of our team members have been with us for decades. We recently celebrated a 50-year anniversary for one of our key staff which is virtually unheard of these days.

Their experience is invaluable. And we work hard to document and share that knowledge with the next generation, like my nephew Simon Latham, who helped build our exhibition stand for Sydney Build Expo this year. I am proud that my own sons, whilst still a little young for full-time work, spend time each school holidays helping out, and learning the family business, as I did growing up.  

Innovation Driven by Customer Needs 

A big part of our product development comes from listening. When a Project Manager, or Architect brings us a challenge, we take it seriously. Often, those tricky requests turn into new product ideas that push our range forward. 

We have in-house civil, design, and mechanical engineers who work closely with long-term team members to develop bespoke solutions. Our approach is practical and technical, grounded in years of experience. 

Quality Without Compromise 

Maintaining quality in a globally competitive market isn’t easy. But our approach is hands-on. I walk through our manufacturing facility regularly, talking to our production team, reinforcing the importance of what we do, and making sure we maintain our strict quality standards. 

We’re not a volume producer. We’re a precision manufacturer. Nearly every order we fulfil is custom cut to size, pre-drilled, or in some other way fabricated to the exact requirements of the project. That’s only possible because we hold vast raw material stock and manufacture locally, right here in Gladesville, NSW. 

The True Warranty 

Our five-year warranty is a real warranty. We don’t hide behind fine print. If there’s ever an issue, we own it and we fix it, because our name is on the line. We engineer our products to exceed specifications, which means they last. Failures are rare. But if something doesn’t perform as it should, we act immediately. 

Local Advantage, Global Reach 

Our Australian-made position gives us a huge advantage in speed and service. When you order from Latham, you’re not waiting on overseas shipments or crossing your fingers for stock availability or being shoehorned into accepting a one-size-fits all alternative because of stock shortages. We control the process end to end, and we can respond quickly. Often getting product out in days, not weeks. 

Our product reach is global. We have long-standing distributors throughout Australia, across Southeast Asia, The Pacific regions, and the Middle East. We train them, support them, and welcome them into the extended Latham family. 

Carrying the Name 

Running a family business is personal. Every decision matters. Every product that leaves our factory carries the reputation my grandfather, my father, and now I, have worked hard to build. We’re not just making stair nosings or expansion joints. We’re building trust. 

And that’s something I’m proud to carry forward into the next generation, and beyond. 

 For more information, visit www.latham-australia.com or call 1300 LATHAM (528 426).