Most students know Sebel through the furniture in their classrooms. Far fewer get to see where it comes from. For design students visiting Sebel’s Minto headquarters, that changes — with a behind-the-scenes look at how one of Australia’s most recognised furniture manufacturers actually works, from raw material to finished product.
Visiting groups are welcomed by Sebel’s Brand Manager, Operations Manager, Plant Manager and Senior Design Engineer. The session opens with a walk through Sebel’s history — from introducing the first-ever monobloc plastic moulded chair to the modern Postura® Max — giving students context for what they’re about to see on the factory floor.
Kitted out in hi-vis vests, students move through Sebel’s world-class manufacturing facility, seeing each stage of production firsthand. The tour covers:
Plastic injection moulding — students watch Sebel’s advanced moulding machines in action, producing the single-piece polypropylene shells that give chairs like the Postura® Max their durability. It’s one thing to read about monobloc construction; it’s another to watch it happen.
Upholstery and assembly — the facility where soft furnishings, modular lounges, tables and desks are built, upholstered and assembled before heading to schools across Australia.
The Recycling Centre — a close-up look at Sebel’s onsite recycling operation, where end-of-life materials are processed and diverted from landfill. Every Recycled Postura® Max prevents 3.8kg of plastic waste from entering landfill — and students get to see that process in action.
A highlight of every visit is Sebel’s own NATA-certified testing laboratory. Students watch furniture components being stress-tested against domestic and international standards — a direct demonstration of why Sebel backs the Postura® Max with a 20-year warranty.
For students studying design, manufacturing or sustainability, the tour connects theory to practice. Seeing recycling, production and testing under one roof — at a facility that has been making Australian furniture since 1951 — gives students a grounded perspective on what it takes to build products that last.
More on furniture built to last.
