People are at the heart of Sussex

At the age of 19, Nicolaas Johannes van Putten, true to his adventurous pioneering spirit, came to Australia from The Netherlands with only a watchmaking certificate and an ambition for the finest craftsmanship.

As a maker who was obsessed with details, he created tools by using his engineering expertise that would help him control the production of the most superior-quality products.

Nick's innovative spirit and precise skillset were central to every business venture he started over the next two decades. It was the NVP tooling business of making earrings though that took him and his company to the global stage. This success allowed him to make his biggest investment yet with the latest CNC machine, which produced brass components for other tapware companies.

Sussex, as we know it today, began in 1997 when Nick and his family set up his modest workshop in the heart of Melbourne. With his growing insight into the tapware industry based on the orders from the CNC machine, Nick took his obsession with craftsmanship and the best materials available to create tapware that he was certain would be engineered to perfection and made to last.

In 2001, it was Nick's genius that kick-started our iconic Scala collection. Because the foundry allowed for 360 degrees of recycling, the cylindrical bars and billets that were melted down to form tapware components became a geometric and classic inspiration for Scala’s form. Its simple pin lever design has become a distinctive feature within the Australian household and the first chapter in our success story of Australian tapware that continues to this day.

Remaining true to Nick’s pursuit of excellence and sustainability, his daughter Vanessa and her husband George took over the reins after Nick passed away to uphold our heritage, values, and beliefs and to lead it into the future.

Driven by the idea that design and customisation are complementary, not opposites, Sussex provided next-level customisation through the introduction of 30 new finishes to the tapware market. The decades of manufacturing expertise have helped Sussex become true finish pioneers, giving architects and designers the perfect finishing touch.

The search to provide the most superior finishes for tapware led to LUXPVD®, a finishing technology that can achieve both durability and timeless beauty. This next- generation machine from Europe was installed in our state- of-the art, purpose-built facility, making Sussex a vertical manufacturer—another milestone in the history of visionary thinking that Sussex was founded on.

Our company's sustainability journey started with Nick in 1961 and continues with his family today. We are now Australia's first carbon neutral tapware manufacturer and a Climate Active member. To be a Climate Active member, we have certified our products and organisation through Australia’s most rigorous processes and testing. While we are proud of our industry-leading achievements so far, this step on our sustainability journey is just the beginning.