Welcome to CSR PAST EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION

CSR was formed as The Colonial Sugar Refining Company in 1855. The Company at its peak employed 15,000 people and was ranked as one of the largest Australian listed companies.

CSR sold its mining interests in the 1980’s, concrete and quarrying (Australia & USA) early 2000’s, and Asian building products businesses a few years later.

In December 2010, CSR sold its sugar and ethanol business, Sucrogen, to the Singaporean company Wilmar. This was of major historical significance to a great many previous employees, most of whom had been employed at some time in one of CSR’s Sugar businesses, be they Sugar Milling, Refining or Distilling.

CSR continued as Australia’s largest and most diversified building materials company, supplying leading brands such as Gyprock plaster board, Bradford Insulation, Hebel light weight concrete, Monier roof tiles, PGH bricks, Cementel fibre cement and AFS permanent formwork.

In July 2024, the French Building materials Company Saint-Gobain completed the acquisition of CSR Ltd. Saint-Gobain has sales of $4.9 Billion Euros and 160,000 employees and operates in 75 countries. Saint-Gobain has been in Australia since the early 1970s and was attracted by CSR’s quality assets and the future growth opportunities in Australia and SE Asia. Saint-Gobain’s business model is to have their overseas operations managed by locals, incorporating their local operating culture.

CSR was always very employee-focused, introducing a staff superannuation scheme in the 1890’s. The company had an extensive cadet training scheme over most of its history which promoted company loyalty and a collegiate working culture. There are a great many employees who worked for the Company all their lives – 30 years’ service was not uncommon and there were many who achieved 40+ years. Similarly, there are many 2nd and even 3rd generation employees who demonstrated the loyalty and commitment most staff felt towards the Company.

CSR Alumni was established to recognize the long association people have with the Company and people they worked with. The Association aims to facilitate communication and interaction amongst CSR’s past and present employees as well as acting as a reservoir of the company’s history.

Functions are regularly held to facilitate continuing interaction between Ex employees and includes luncheons, golf days, Harbour/River cruises as well visits to places associated with CSR’s operations and history.

The Association was incorporated in 2015 to become the CSR Past Employees Association Incorporated and has branches in Sydney and Brisbane.