Bullying in schools is a well-known problem, but one company is providing a tangible solution in the shape of a buddy bench – and doing it with responsibly sourced, sustainable materials.
Schools across the country are turning to a simple yet powerful solution to address issues of bullying, loneliness, and social isolation among students – the buddy bench.
Made locally by Australian seating manufacturer BAB Aluminium, the buddy bench is a designated seating area where students can go when they feel lonely or need someone to play with.
When a student sits on the buddy bench, it signals to their peers that they are in need of a friend, prompting others to reach out and include them.
The buddy bench concept has gained significant traction in schools, with educators and administrators recognising its value in fostering a more inclusive and supportive school community.
Former welder turned owner of BAB Aluminium, Mr Brian Blowes is thrilled to see the widespread adoption of the buddy bench product in schools across the country.
“We developed the buddy bench with the goal of making a tangible difference in the lives of young people,” he says. “To see schools embrace this idea and use it to create more inclusive and supportive communities is incredibly rewarding.”
As Mr Blowes explains, the idea for the buddy bench originated the United States, with BAB Aluminium registering a trademark name, Buddy Bench Australia, to make it their own.
“It’s bright. It’s bold. Our best-seller is the buddy bench in bright yellow. Green is another favourite. We can mix and match colours too, and schools can customise their buddy bench any way they want,” he says.
“If a child is feeling anxious or isolated, they can sit on the bench, signalling to their peers and teachers that they need someone to include them or check in on them. It’s a conduit for mental health and anti-bullying.”
Mr Blowes says the feedback from schools has been very positive, with teachers and administrators reporting that the buddy bench has helped create a more empathetic and connected school community. He is particularly pleased to see schools using the buddy bench as part of their broader social-emotional learning programs, integrating lessons on topics like empathy and conflict resolution.
“Here we are, five or six years since we launched the buddy bench. We sell a couple hundred every year,” he says.
Beyond the buddy bench, BAB Aluminium also supplies grandstands, outdoor table settings, and outdoor bench seating to schools and sporting clubs, all of it manufactured from aluminium.
“I’ve got a lot of repeat customers in schools. We supply St Joseph’s College in Hunters Hill NSW with our products at least once a year. We work with several large schools but there’s also a lot of small schools with 20 kids who only want one or two outdoor tables – they’re just as important as the big schools,” Mr Blowes says.
A greener manufacturing process
As schools become more environmentally conscious, suppliers are under increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprint.
BAB Aluminium has taken a significant step towards prioritising the environment by switching to low-carbon aluminium, supplied by Capral Aluminium. This shift in aluminium procurement strategy reduces the company’s environmental impact and demonstrates its commitment to finding more sustainable product alternatives.
Growing in scale, quality and diversity of range over the past 40 years, the BAB name has become synonymous not only with durable, high-quality seating but also with innovation and its ability to engage with its customers to satisfy their specific needs.
This consultative approach, alongside an entrenched commitment to sustainability, led BAB Aluminium to switch to Capral’s LocAl Supergreen low-carbon primary aluminium for its seating.
“Embodied Carbon has become an important part of the conversation when working with architects and designers, schools, institutions, and sporting facilities. Across various projects, we are being asked to provide information about the sustainability of our products, material sourcing and stewardship,” Mr Blowes says.
The versatility and recyclability of aluminium has earned it a long-standing reputation as a sustainable material, with more than 95 per cent of all the aluminium ever produced still in use. However, there are significant variations in the carbon emissions of smelters during the production of primary aluminium.
Produced using hydroelectricity, Capral’s LocAl Supergreen primary aluminium achieves significantly lower CO₂e emissions per kilogram of aluminium produced compared to traditional energy sources.
“We can see momentum growing within the Australian industry and among Australian architects and designers. Our clients are looking for best-in-class sustainability solutions for their projects, and when it comes to aluminium seating LocAl Supergreen offers that,” Mr Blowes says.
“Our products will now have a significantly lower carbon footprint yet maintain the performance and durability qualities our customers seek. They continue to be durable, easy to maintain and 100 per cent recyclable at the end of their life. However, we are cutting emissions upfront by manufacturing them from this lower carbon, more sustainable product.”
By embracing sustainable practices, BAB Aluminium aims to minimise its environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future. The business also reuses or recycles all the packing products associated with the aluminium sourced from Capral, including cardboard, paper and timber.
Most off-cuts and waste created during manufacturing are reused, with only a small portion of aluminium scrap remaining, which is recycled.
Mr Blowes, who grew up on a farm in Cookwall, New South Wales, says he is “fiercely proud” that BAB Aluminium is 100 per cent Australian made, and its customers are Australian.
Four decades since he took the reins at BAB Aluminium, he is also proud of the company’s longevity – and its products too.
“I have a BAB Aluminium table on my farm that is at least 35-years-old and every Christmas I just hose it off and it’s brand new again,” he says.
For more information, visit https://babaluminium.com.au/.
