Caroma

Polymer Barrier Solution Enhances Safety at Caroma’s 30,000 m² Distribution Centre

Caroma engaged Barrier Group to deliver a comprehensive warehouse safety upgrade at its 30,000 m² Preston distribution centre in Sydney. Operating within a high-traffic environment where pedestrian walkways intersected active forklift zones, the facility required durable segregation and flexible pedestrian management solutions to support ongoing operational upgrades.

Location: Prestons, Sydney
Complete: May 2026
Visit: https://www.caroma.com/au/

The Problem

Caroma is Australia’s leading manufacturer of bathroom and kitchen products. Its Preston distribution centre in Sydney spans more than 30,000 square metres and plays a critical role in supporting national distribution, product innovation, and day-to-day warehousing operations.

The facility operates within a mixed pedestrian and vehicle environment, with consistent forklift activity across picking and packing zones. Large-scale racking aisles and intersecting pedestrian walkways created several high-interaction areas between staff and mobile equipment. As part of planned facility upgrades, additional pedestrian travel paths were introduced to connect the innovation centre with the broader warehouse operations.

To support these upgrades, Caroma engaged Barrier Group to consult on appropriate safety solutions, commencing with an on-site assessment conducted by a dedicated Account Manager.

The Solution

During the site assessment, the combination of frequent forklift activity and the proximity of pedestrian walkways highlighted the need for heavy-duty segregation to protect both pedestrians and critical infrastructure from potential impact damage.

The full scope of the safety upgrade addressed:

Asset Protection

FlexGuard™ Triple Rail Barrier was installed along the key pedestrian pathway that wraps around the perimeter of the innovation centre.
Impact-tested and designed to flex, absorb and rebound, the FlexGuard™ Triple Rail Barrier is made from engineered polymer blends across three distinct layers which allows for flexible recovery, enabling the barrier to absorb energy upon impact and return close to its original shape. This unique material composition helps minimise damage to both the barrier and the impacting vehicle or equipment. This installation marked Caroma’s first use of polymer barrier systems, serving as a pilot for broader implementation.
Telescopic Boom Gates were installed in an area of the facility that periodically required vehicle entry. When vehicle entry was not required the booms could be lowered to control access.
Ball-Fence Swing Gates were positioned at key pedestrian access points along the polymer guardrail. The swing gate was mounted to the Flexguard™ Triple Rail Posts using the Ball-Fence Swing Gate Mounting Kit for Flexguard™.

Environment Control

Indoor Safety Convex and Half Dome Mirrors were installed at pinch-point blind spots to improve visibility around corners and bends, ensuring vehicle operators, staff, and visitors had greater awareness of surrounding movements.

Pedestrian Guidance

A combination of Pilot 25, Co-Pilot, and Pilot 4-Way Receivers were used to quickly delineate temporary operational zones during stock transfer.
Pilot Magna Mount Brackets allowed staff to rapidly block off aisles without permanent fixtures, supporting agile, real-time exclusion zoning.