Skip to main content
search

About

Vertrex –
who we are

Vertrex (formerly Pentarch Pty Ltd) was established in 1984 and has become renowned for its innovative, specialised solutions for demilitarisation, disposal of munitions and other hazardous goods, and the management of ammunition packaging.

Since establishing a relationship with the Australian Department of Defence, Vertrex has developed its Defence-related activities, obtaining a range of accreditations for security and quality management and enforcing a strict respect for deadlines, accountability and accuracy.

Over time, Vertrex has broadened our client base beyond Defence and now provides a range of services to various customers including:

  • Federal and State Police
  • NSW Transport
  • Australian Border Force
  • Thales Australia Limited
  • NIOA
  • Major international motor vehicle OEMs

Employing more than 45 staff in rural and regional New South Wales and Victoria, Vertrex takes pride in offering environmentally leading solutions for challenges faced by our clients.

Vertrex operates Australia’s largest privately-owned, dedicated demilitarisation facility licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia to store and process Government-owned ammunition.

Focused investment in research and development has allowed Vertrex to grow into an innovative business, building its machines and systems from the ground up to meet the unique needs of its diverse customer base.

The Company also places importance on investing in and developing processes and governing documentation, with a detailed chain of custody, supported by step-by-step working instructions, for each task Vertrex performs.

Our
people

Vertrex employs a range of qualified and experienced staff, with core skills and capabilities in occupational health and safety, mechanical and electrical engineering, environmental engineering, explosive handling, packaging and storage, and risk management.

Staff qualifications include:

  • Licensed to handle explosives
  • Trained in FFE (Free From Explosives) certification
  • WorkCover Explosives License for Unsupervised Handlers
  • Certificate in Public Safety (Explosive Ordnance)
  • Defence Hazardous Goods Storage

Christopher Deighton
Director

Annie Bushnell
General Manager

Accreditations/
certifications

Clients can feel secure knowing Vertrex maintains the following accreditations, certifications and memberships:

  • Full public and product liability insurance
  • ISO 9001.2015
  • NSW State and Commonwealth licences to manufacture and store explosives
  • Safework NSW Licence to Transport Explosives
  • EPA Waste Premises License
  • EPA Waste Transporters Licence
  • EPA Mobile Waste Processing Licence
  • EPA Radiation Management Licence

Our
approach

Sustainability and environment

Protecting the environment and minimising impact on our surrounds is critically important to Vertrex.

We invest significantly in best practice technology and equipment to offer customers environmentally responsible disposal solutions that are cost effective and minimise impact on the surrounding environment.

Wherever possible, we use the RRR approach (Recover, Reuse, Recycle) to any disposal feasibility assessment and include environmental and safety considerations in our rigorous risk assessment approach.

Community engagement and investment

Vertrex supports local communities, contractors and suppliers. Through local collaborations we have developed broader capabilities to meet our customers’ needs in a timely and efficient manner.

As Vertrex’s capabilities have expanded, local service providers have continued to scale up through continued investment in training and equipment to take advantage of increasing rural and regional opportunities.

This has allowed Vertrex to engage more local contractors and suppliers for services that would have previously been sourced from major city providers. Supporting and developing staff and opportunities in the areas we operate are core values of Vertrex.

We anticipate rural and regional employment opportunities will flourish as Vertrex continues to develop and expand.

Vertrex is committed to investing in continued training of its local workforce to retain and grow skills in rural and regional areas.