Family Owned, Australian Made – Sussex | Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Sussex is a family-owned Australian tapware and bathroom fixtures company that places sustainability, customisation and local manufacturing at the core of every collection, meaning that each Sussex product on the market today is proudly Melbourne made.

Family is at the core of every Sussex creation. Since Sussex was founded in the 1990s by Nicolaas (Nick) Johannes van Putten, the company has developed a reputation for customisation and innovation, underpinned by a continued focus on quality and precision. Throughout 2019, under the watchful eye of directors Vanessa Katsanevakis (Nick’s daughter) and her husband George Katsanevakis, Sussex has ushered in a new generation of innovative creations that represent the future direction of the company, whilst staying true to the founding values that have guided the company since day one.

The Suba range celebrates Australia’s love of minimalist design.

Scala is an Australian classic range that offers endless customisation (left). Suba, powerful understatement and angular symmetry combine to striking effect (right).

Sussex is a local company in the purest sense. With a foundry and manufacturing workshop in the Melbourne suburb of Somerton, Sussex offers a level of customisation in tune with today’s ever-changing design specifications, and an ability to respond in real-time to the needs of the Australian design industry. Sussex customers are encouraged to mix colours and finishes, match paint swatches, and even combine components with different finishes, in order to create a signature collection that aligns with the unique personality of the individual or project. Each piece of tapware that comes out the Melbourne workshop is constructed according to rigorous engineering methods and sustainability considerations. Nothing less than perfection will suffice, which has led to the company’s strong reputation for quality and precision.

Scala was inspired by the easy-going spirit of the Australian lifestyle.

Since the very beginning, Sussex has offered an uncompromising approach to sustainable design and environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. Being in the unparalleled position of the only Australian tap maker with its own foundry allows Sussex to melt and recycle the precious brass shavings left over from machine manufacturing. The lower carbon footprint associated with truly local production has also ensured that every Sussex product combines quality design with high standards of sustainability.

The Calibre range was born from an appreciation of architecture and urban design.

With several new collections on the horizon and an aim to reach carbon neutrality, the future is bright for Sussex as the company continues to the legacy of its founding principles. Following the entire Sussex process from design to delivery, passing through the sustainable manufacturing methods followed in the Melbourne foundry, the result is always a classic piece of tapware that brings true pleasure to the user and an experience of timeless beauty to any space.