In this episode of the Build Hatch Podcast, we sat down with Tom Rolland from KL Modular Systems Australia, a commercial modular construction company.

• Tom grew up in Melbourne and after leaving school at grade 12 Tom stepped into the world of men’s fashion.
• Being interested in process’ he studied the fabrication of garments from start to finish, all while breaking the traditional mould of a straight male working in fashion.
• KLMSA is a family business and Tom shares how his mum came to be the owner.
• Seeing the correlation between fabric fabrication and construction he jumped into KLMSA as a building estimator.
• Tom is process-driven and saw the correlation between fashion and the construction industry.
• The importance of accurate estimation allows KL Modular systems to deliver a prefabricated project on time and on budget.
• The advantages of building off-site and then coming into a school, for example, and installing over a matter of weeks rather than months or years.
• The possibilities of bringing a design to KLMSA and their process for creating a prefabricated build.
• KLMSA is currently working with the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) creating classrooms, sporting centres and childcare centres.
• The pre-fabrication industry, as a whole, and the pivots required to drive this relatively new concept in Australia.
• Tom’s hopes for the future of modular buildings.
• A standard briefing process with KL Modular Systems.
• Tom defines ‘Form Following Function’ and designing for function first.
• Tom describes the recent Bacchus Marsh Grammar School project, which is one of the biggest ones they have ever created.
• KLMSA is still a full turnkey solution and the challenges of working with pre-existing infrastructure.
• Everything is a process and his experience in the fashion industry gave him a good foundation for his role in construction now. 
• Life outside of the construction industry for Tom.
• The future for the KLMSA family.

 

Sit back and enjoy this insightful episode with Tom Rolland.

Links:

KL Modular Systems Australia

Build Hatch