When a supplier named in your drawings and specifications goes into liquidation, the impact on a project isn't always immediate, but it's never something to leave sitting in the inbox. For many Australian architects, builders and developers, Maxim Louvres has been a familiar name on external shading schedules, covering everything from continuous louvres and fins to external venetians, shutters and perforated screens.
With the company now in liquidation, anyone with Maxim products on a current or upcoming project will want to know where that leaves them. Some projects will be well past the point of supply, while others may still be at tender or design development with the products written into the specification.
We've put together a practical guide on what to review, when an alternative should be specified, and how to keep the design intent intact along the way.
The right response depends a lot on the project stage. A job still in concept or design development has plenty of room to move, whereas a project with orders placed, deposits paid or product partially delivered will have more pressing questions.
For anything already contracted, your first call should be to the appointed liquidator. They'll be the point of contact for undelivered orders, money paid in advance and any stock that may be held for your project. Gather purchase orders, shop drawings and correspondence beforehand so you can show exactly what was agreed.
Warranties deserve a look too. Product and installation warranties from a company in liquidation may no longer carry much weight in practice, so check what's covered directly by the original extrusion or coating supplier and what isn't. Your client will likely ask, and it's better to have the answer ready.
If you're unsure of your contractual position, speak with your legal adviser before committing to a replacement supplier.
Where Maxim products are named in a specification that hasn't been fully procured, that section needs revisiting in detail. A proprietary clause naming a single product leaves the builder with nothing to price once it's unavailable, which can stall tenders and open the door to substitutions that haven't been properly assessed.
The goal is to separate what the design needs from what the original product happened to offer. Before looking at alternatives, it helps to document:
Once those requirements are clear, the clause can be rewritten as a performance-based specification or updated with a named equivalent. Either way, the builder gets something they can price, and you keep control over what ends up on the façade.
In most cases, any Maxim products that haven't been supplied will need an alternative. Even if parts of the business are sold during the liquidation, there's no guarantee the same profiles, pricing or lead times will be available, and waiting to find out can put the programme at risk.
Like-for-like doesn't have to mean identical. Aluminium louvre blades, fins and perforated screens come in a wide range of profiles that can closely match the look and performance of the original. Where something bespoke was specified, a manufacturer with in-house design and engineering can often produce a custom profile to suit.
Whatever you choose, ask for test data, engineering certification and finish warranties up front. A replacement should stand up to the same scrutiny as the original selection, if not more, given the circumstances.
Aurae has been designing, engineering and manufacturing louvre and façade products since 2005, and we've worked closely with specifiers the whole way. We offer one of the widest ranges of sun shading and ventilation louvre profiles in the industry, each tested against a stringent grading system for aerodynamic and weathering performance.
Our range covers fixed louvres, operable louvre roofs, shutters, window shrouds, Dapple perforated screens, aluminium grating screens and more. If a project calls for something we don't already make, our team can develop a custom solution, as we've done for louvred fences, balustrades, vehicle gates and other one-off elements.
For projects affected by the Maxim Louvres liquidation, we can review your drawings and specification, suggest suitable equivalents and provide the technical information needed to update your documentation. It's a simple way to protect the design intent and get things moving again.
Losing a specified supplier is frustrating, but with a clear review of contracts, specifications and performance requirements, most projects can absorb the change without compromising the design. The sooner it's addressed, the more options you'll have.
If Maxim Louvres products are specified on one of your projects, we're happy to help. Get in touch with the Aurae team to talk through your specification and find a suitable alternative.