Hebel Matters

Eddie Jaroc explains the long and successful alliance between CSR Hebel and Bitly Holdings

Versatility is a key factor in the success story of Sydney company, Bitly Holdings.

With versatility also being one of the stand-out characteristics of Hebel wall systems, it is easy to see why Bitly has partnered so well with Hebel for more than two decades.

Bitly provide services in sound barrier/noise wall design and construction, and specialise in road maintenance infrastructure. Ready, willing and able to provide a diversity of services, the Bitly team appreciate in turn the adaptability of the Hebel wall systems that they install in a variety of projects, from factory redevelopments to major motorways.

“Hebel’s versatility is one of its major advantages for us,” said Eddie Jaroc, who has worked with Bitly for more than 20 years and became the company’s owner about six years ago.

“The flexibility of being able to cut it, its lightness compared with solid concrete and the fact that it is so easy to use are among its many benefits to us as installers.”

Factory redevelopments

The range of applications of the Hebel wall systems have been put to good use by the family company over the years. For example, Bitly have used Hebel in factory redevelopments, demonstrating the benefits of the Hebel PowerPanel for maximising space.

In such cases, where developers have bought large factories and then wanted to make the space into two factories, Bitly have installed an internal fire rated Hebel wall to divide the areas. Measuring between six and eight metres in height and approximately 50 to 70 metres in length, such walls also provide excellent acoustic rating as well as fire rating between the two areas. Access doors can be built into the dividing wall if required.

Feature wall at Randwick school

Showcasing the fact that a Hebel wall can be decorative as well as functional is another Bitly project, a feature wall at Emanuel School at Randwick. A full boundary wall, measuring more than 300 metres long by almost five metres high, it was installed on top of an existing sandstone wall and is described by Eddie as one of the most complex projects of its type undertaken by Bitly.

“The bottom of the Hebel wall was chamfered off at 45 degrees and we put capping along the top, with a granosite coating over the completed wall,” he said. “Of all the walls we’ve done, that one was probably the most difficult because of the shaping required, but this was made possible because of the versatility of the Hebel product. The end result was very good.”

Hebel feature wall at Emanuel School, Randwick.

Firewall system for motorway tunnel

The adaptable nature of Hebel was also a major benefit to Bitly when installing a Hebel firewall system in the tunnel section of Sydney’s Eastern Distributor motorway. This undertaking, project managed by Transurban, involved the replacement of existing sections of wall in the tunnel with a Hebel system.

Hebel Firewall system in tunnel section of Sydney’s Eastern Distributor motorway.

“Because it was easy to use and install, it reduced the costings,” said Eddie. “For example, due to the lightness of the material, we were able to hand-place it in some areas. It was also a big advantage to be able to cut a panel if necessary, as we did with the last panel. It was placed up in two pieces by two men in a boom lift, and a joiner plate was designed to connect the panel up again.”

The company has also installed Hebel along several kilometres of both the M2 and the M5 motorways as sound walls.

Bitly have used Hebel panels for a variety of other Sydney projects including some external walls of the Rookwood substation at Potts Hill, and the external lining of underground diesel tanks at three State Transit Authority depots.

“Over the years we’ve had a long association with Hebel, because its product is easy to use and versatile,” said Eddie.

“These are important benefits, and are among the reasons why our association has been so successful.”