Australian Made Bollards vs Imported Bollards

Australian Made Bollards vs Imported Bollards

When it comes to Bollards, the first choice can be the hardest. As many people are first time bollard buyers, it can be hard to pick the right bollard. Questions like which size do I buy? Do I buy the cheapest bollard? or Do I pick the local bollard company? All these questions can come to mind.

This page is to guide to help you identify the differences between our Australian Made Bollards and Imported Bollards, and what you can expect from each security post. 

Steel Thickness:

The standard thickness of our Australian Made Bollards are around 5mm whereas this imported model was around 2mm. Why does thickness matter? The thicker the steel increases stiffness and durability. It'll also make the bollard heavier and it'll be harder to remove or tamper with. 

bollard thickness

Weight of Bollard:

Our standard 90OD Surface Mounted Bollard weighs around 10kg, the imported bollard weighed around 4kg. The increased weight of our bollard means that it can withstand a heavier impact. With a bollard being light makes it easy to install, but it also means that it won't be able to take much impact. As seen in the photo above, the bollard has gotten ripped off by the base plate. 

Coating of Bollard:

Our paint won't peel or discolour. We Powder Coat all our Bollards using Dulux Accredited Powder Coaters to meet stringent quality conditions and international standards. 

Reflective Tape:

We use the best quality reflective tape for all our Bollards. 3M Diamond Quality Reflective Tape or a similar quality equivalent is our chosen tape for all our Bollards. 

3m reflective tape

Australian Made:

With Bollards being Australian Made, you know that the quality is going to be high; the workmanship and the overall finish of the product will be much better.

Quality Control processes: 

At TKO Bollards, we have quality control standards and processes from our quoting phase to the completion of our products. All our bollards need to meet these standards otherwise they'd be re-blasted, refined or scrapped. Comparing both bollards, it is easy to see the quality differences between the two. 

 australian bollards

Variation options:

TKO Bollards offer endless variation options. An advantage being Australian made is that we can manufacture your custom bollard as soon as you place an order. Need your bollard to be a bit higher? Maybe a big bigger? Need some handles? All of this can be added to meet your requirements. 

Price:

Imported Bollards offer their bollards at a cheaper price as labour is cheaper and they buy in bulk from their supplier. Our Australian Made Bollards will usually be more expensive as we employ the best tradesmen in Australia to get you the best possible product and work with local companies. We help and use local companies to source our steel, to powder coat and anything else that you require. Using local companies, we guarantee that you get the best quality product from experts in the field which in turn helps fuel the local economy and local jobs

 

Australian Bollards Pros and Cons:

Pros

  • More variation
  • Custom colours and option like chains
  • Australian Made
  • Thicker Steel
  • Higher Quality Control
  • More knowledge of products
  • 3M Reflective Tape
  • Dulux Powder Coating
  • Heavier more durable bollard
  • Supports and works with other Australian businesses.

Cons:

  • Can be more expensive

 

Overseas Made Bollards Pros and Cons:

Pros

  • Cheaper Option
  • Lots of competitors generally offering good price and in-stock options.

Cons:

  • Less Durable
  • General design language is quite poor
  • Footing easily bent and/or broken
  • Frequently off colour (not safety yellow but a darker colour)
  • No removable cap option makes it impossible to concrete fill
  • Supporting Overseas Businesses