Steel Intouch NSW #6:Layout 1 28/11/06 11:17 AM Page 2 Steelintouch

Steel InTouch NSW #6:Layout 1 28/11/06 11:17 AM Page 2 steelintouch

News for New South Wales Customers ISSUE NUMBER 6 SUMMER 2006

has been Strategic Support Manager in Procurement at WELCOME BlueScope Steel. You can expect to meet him soon. Meanwhile, read what he has to say on Page 2. Welcome to the Summer 2006 edition of XLERPLATE® In other news, the XLERPLATE® steel team would like to Steel In Touch. congratulate customers Waratah Engineering (NSW) and This is not only the last edition for the year, it’s also my Apollo General Engineering (VIC) for exciting wins in the last as State Sales Manager. I’ve had an exciting three recent Manufacturers’ Monthly 2006 Endeavour Awards years working with you and familiarising myself with your for Manufacturing Excellence. Read the full details in business. I plan to continue to do so in my new role as our lead story below, and see Page 2 for information on Strategic Projects Manager – Industrial Markets, based how to enter the 2007 awards. at Port Kembla. So you haven’t heard the last of me yet! I’d like to welcome new State Sales Manager Matthew Hennessy. Matthew has held previous marketing John Barrett positions within Australian Manufacturing Markets and State Sales Manager - NSW XLERPLATE® CUSTOMERS TOP MANUFACTURING AWARDS Innovation and product US company building mining machines in excellence have secured big South Africa. ® wins for two XLERPLATE steel Waratah Engineering has 130 employees and customers at the 2006 uses 250-300 tonnes of XLERPLATE® steel a year. Manufacturers’ Monthly Apollo General Engineering, an Australian- Endeavour Awards for owned company with more than 50 years’ Manufacturing Excellence. experience in medium-to-heavy fabrication, NSW company Waratah assembly and machining, is another Australian Engineering won two awards – success story. Manufacturer of the Year (the Exports of the company’s machinery and major award) and Import fabricated metal products are growing rapidly Replacement of the Year – for its due in part to some smart strategic investments Waracar shuttlecar designed for by the company. use in underground coal mining. Waratah Engineering’s Waracar. Apollo General Engineering’s General Manager, Victorian company Apollo This year’s presentation event, held in Sydney, Sam Guccione, said his company had been General Engineering secured two Highly Commended attracted more than 120 guests from all areas of supplying boiler drums to Indonesian customers awards – one for Exporter of the Year for its boiler manufacturing. for a number of months. drums exported to Indonesia, the other for Import Replacement of the Year for its large pressure Waratah Engineering made a huge impact with its BlueScope Steel’s National Sales Manager Distribution vessels used at Queensland’s Mt Isa mines. Waracar shuttlecar, launched in 2003. The company and Manufacturing, Stan Clark, said he was delighted has built 25 of the $900,000 Waracar shuttlecars and to see fabricators like Waratah Engineering and The Endeavour Awards, designed to recognise and is fabricating another five at its Newcastle workshop. Apollo General Engineering securing awards and reward Australian manufacturing excellence, are high commendations. “It underpins the innovation open to all manufacturers throughout the country. Designed to carry up to 16 tonnes of coal in underground mines, the unit is made from 20 tonnes and expertise that Australian manufacturers are of Grade 350 XLERPLATE® steel. encompassing in their work,” he said. It can also be fitted with a wireless data transmission For more information: Waratah Engineering – system, which helps track the unit when it is in www.wareng.com.au and Apollo General operation deep underground. Engineering – www.apollo-engineering.com.au The carrier has allowed Waratah Engineering to To enter your business in the 2007 Manufacturers’ break into an Australian market dominated by a Monthly Endeavour Awards, see Page 2.

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News for New South Wales Customers www.xlerplate.com.au BIG BUSINESS IN BULK BINS ENTRIES OPEN FOR 2007 Sales of oversized ENDEAVOUR AWARDS industrial bins are The 2007 Manufacturers’ Monthly Endeavour booming for Sydney- Awards are now open to all Australian based waste recycling manufacturers, big and small, who have been collection equipment operating for at least two years. manufacturer Bincorp Equipment. The awards, heading into their fourth year, cover eight categories: Bincorp Equipment is one of the • Import Replacement of the Year largest steel bin manufacturers in • Technology Application of the Year Australia. It specialises in manufacturing skip • Innovative Product of the Year – Consumer bins, bulk bins, hooklift frames, trailers and • Innovative Product of the Year – Industrial hydraulic compactors, • Exporter of the Year using XLERPLATE® and XLERCOIL® steel. • Environmental Solution of the Year The company’s fastest growing segment is Bincorp’s Tony Nott with one of his company's bulk bins. • Safety Scheme of the Year bulk bins for waste contractors like Thiess the last two years for semi-trailer containers,” • Young Manufacturer of the Year Services, Cleanaway and Veolia Environmental Mr Nott said. Services (Collex). Each year, Bincorp Equipment also manufactures An overall winner will be selected from those “We’re manufacturing about 250 bulk bins a year, about 20 compactors for shopping centres, 1000 categories and awarded the top prize – some with a volume of 65 cubic metres,” Bincorp skip bins for domestic rubbish removal and hook Manufacturer of the Year 2007 – in recognition Equipment, Managing Director, Tony Nott said. lift frames for trailers. of the winning company’s manufacturing Privately-owned Bincorp Equipment employs The company sources Grade 250 XLERPLATE® innovation and excellence. 14 tradespeople and has recently moved steel from Horan Steel, one of BlueScope Steel’s Nomination forms and conditions are available from its Riverstone workshop to a 1700- distributors in NSW. in the December edition of Manufacturers’ square-metre workshop at Wetherill Park “They give us reliable service, sales and Monthly magazine or online at in Sydney’s west. competitive pricing,” Mr Nott said. “We can also www.ferret.com.au/FerretAwards/Mmawards.asp “The new factory has allowed us to boost rely on the quality of XLERPLATE® steel because Entries close 30 April 2007. production to meet growing demand over it’s strong, durable and easy to work with.”

CHANGES TO COIL IDENTIFICATION WELCOME TO OUR NEW A new alphanumeric system is now identifying steel coils leaving BlueScope Steel’s Springhill STATE SALES MANAGER (Port Kembla) and Western Port plants, and the Matthew Hennessy has replaced Matthew began his career company’s Service Centres. John Barrett as our NSW State working as a Sales Customer Although this mainly affects coated steel, cold Sales Manager. Service Officer for BlueScope rolled and hot rolled products marketed by our Matthew’s previous role was Steel at Braeside in Victoria Australian Manufacturing Markets Division, it will Strategic Support Manager in after graduating with a marketing affect 1800mm-wide hot rolled coil and coil plate Procurement at BlueScope Steel. degree from the University of product, sold by Industrial Markets. He has eight years experience Wollongong. The changes, prompted by customer feedback, apply in the steel industry. He has since worked in several to alphanumeric prefix ranges for several coil units “I’ve moved from developing marketing roles within the leaving Western Port; e.g. Z12345 has become J12345. supplier and internal company including Sales Also, the letters “W” and “P” have been removed relationships to developing Coordinator at Chullora, Business from seventh position in the alphanumeric markings; external customer relationships, Improvement Facilitator at the e.g. J12345W has become J12345. and look forward to a bright Paintline at Springhill Works Coils processed at BlueScope Steel’s Service Centres future with the challenge of stiff Port Kembla and Market have had an “S” added to seventh position in the competition,” Matt said. “This is a great opportunity Development Manager for Australian identification code; e.g. J12345 has become J12345S1. to explore, nurture and enhance strategic Manufacturing Markets. He also spent several years working as a management consultant. The changes will provide alphanumeric code relationships, industry opportunities and value consistency for despatch and invoice documentation, propositions with customers to maximise their Matthew started the new role on 27 November. and will help to improve inventory management. market share and financial performance.” Welcome Matthew.

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News for New South Wales Customers

SAFETY MESSAGE: BOAT WITH CARE COMMODITY BOOM Now it’s summer, many of us will be heading DRIVING STEEL SALES onto open water – lakes By BlueScope Steel Economists Max Serrano, Nick Scavarelli and Amy Davidson and the ocean – in small Domestic demand, a major component recreational boats. of the Australian economy, grew Total Mining Investment in Australia While many safety- 4.2 per cent in 2005/06. It is now 18,000 conscious boat users slowing partly because of the Reserve 16,000 always pack flares, a Bank’s decision to lift interest rates 14,000 two-way radio (and 0.75 percentage points this year in an 12,000 mobile phone), life effort to control inflation. 10,000 jackets and fresh water, Falling house prices, particularly 8,000 how many think of additional safety equipment? 6,000 in NSW, appear to also be slowing Constant A$Million 4,000 Most Australian boating safety authorities list the domestic demand and impacting 2,000 following additional items as being very important: on consumer confidence. As house 0 • small fire extinguisher prices rose, consumers increased 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 Financial Years • first aid kit their borrowings. We now seem to be experiencing the opposite effect. • a basic tool kit (for possible breakdowns) New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia are Investment, the other major component of the affected by several factors including the following: • rope (for towing) economy, remains strong, with the commodity boom • Falling house prices are reducing housing activity • a bucket (for bailing) helping to lift investment to unprecedented levels. and consumption; • oars (in case your outboard breaks down) Non-dwelling building investment rose about • An overvalued Australian dollar (due to the Always heed the day’s weather forecast . . . 12 per cent, mining investment rose 68 per cent, commodity boom) is making local manufacturers and tell friends and family where you intend and private plant and equipment investment rose less competitive, which is aggravated by China’s heading and your estimated time of return. more than 18 per cent in 2005/06. The 2006/07 efforts to increase its exports of manufacturing outlook remains positive. However, prospects for products into Australia; and rural production and investment appear to be • Our national skills shortages are limiting deteriorating rapidly. An El Nino weather pattern expansion of some manufacturing components. will likely impact on rural production in 2006/07. The drought is also having an impact on these CHANGES TO High commodity prices have boosted the mining states. Ironically, when the commodity boom states (Western Australia and Queensland) and subsides the dollar will be likely to weaken and aid END-OF-YEAR investment in these states continues to rise, with recovery in these states. ® the outlook for 2006/07 looking positive. Strong mining and non-dwelling construction XLERPLATE However, demand for labour and materials, investment is helping to lift steel sales in these especially in Western Australia, is outstripping sectors, although much mining equipment is DELIVERY supply, causing costs of both to rise. Future imported. This lift in sales is, however, being partly prospects may be less buoyant when the affected by falls in both dwelling activity and in Plate Mill maintenance work and wide-load commodity cycle returns to more sustainable levels. manufacturing and rural activity. delivery restrictions will affect XLERPLATE® and XLERCOIL® steel delivery times over the Christmas and New Year period. Maintenance will be carried out at the Port Kembla HIGHEST THROUGHPUT SINCE 1982 Steelworks Plate Mill from 29 December to 15 Port Kembla Plate Mill throughput has reached its January. XLERPLATE® steel will not be produced highest level in 25 years, in large part due to the during that time, and extended lead times will apply. combined efforts of the Plate Operations team ® Please speak to the XLERPLATE® Customer Service and the XLERPLATE Customer Service group. group or your sales branch for further information. A total of 213,239 tonnes of XLERPLATE® steel has Restrictions to XLERPLATE® Coil Plate and Coil been produced at the Plate Mill in the last six months, Floor Plate will apply during this time because of and if production continues at its present rate, mill the Metpol site closures, and deliveries will be output will exceed 400,000 tonnes for the year. Annual allocated in line with Metpol’s planned reopening. output was initially budgeted to reach 388,000 tonnes.

Road and traffic authorities have also imposed On-time delivery performance into our customers’ Our friendly XLERPLATE® Customer Service group. wide-load restrictions that affect the delivery of stores nationally, has risen almost 30 per cent; from Standard and General XLERPLATE® steel in 65 per cent in April 2003 to 92 per cent year-to-date The group regularly deals with as many as 150 December and January. to October 2006. customers each week across Australia. Widths of 2500mm or more cannot be delivered The XLERPLATE® Customer Service group consists NSW customers will be familiar with the voice of between 25 December and 5 January (DIS Week of 15 officers – including six in the Planning and Customer Service Officer Zoran Sterjovski, who 52, Week 1). In NSW, load restrictions also apply Scheduling team, six Customer Service Officers deals with their specific inquiries. between 22 January and 26 January (DIS Week 4). and two Technical Metallurgists. The six Customer Zoran has worked at BlueScope Steel for nearly Orders for widths of 2500mm or more during these Service Officers field inquiries, provide product three years and has spent recent months tracking restricted periods will be booked for delivery the information to customers, book orders and track the and managing orders for mining, tanks, bridges following week. progress of existing orders to keep output on course. and rail wagon projects in NSW.

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News for New South Wales Customers www.xlerplate.com.au

Your XLERPLATE® Team PO Box 144 IN THE HOT SEAT Greenacre NSW 2190 Phone: 02 9795 6700 TIM ELKINGTON Fax: 02 9795 6878 Name: Tim Elkington (winner of our recent Most useless E-mails: Reader Competition) possession: [email protected] Job title: Project Engineer (RCR Tomlinson) An old kite I [email protected] No. of years in the Steel Industry: 13 am going to fix some day [email protected] Description of current role: To turn people’s ideas into working pieces of equipment Favourite Previous position: University student (Engineering) outdoor recreational activity: Bike riding Person I most admire: Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) What kick starts my day: Breakfast with E-mails received on average per day: 20 my children Best invention of the last century: Weet-Bix If I had $1m to blow it would be on… New house Worst television program: Big Brother If I could have one person over for dinner, it Time I spend in my car each day: Hopefully none – would be… Colin Buchanan (country Matt Hennessy Alan Church I like to ride my bicycle instead singer/songwriter and children’s entertainer) State Sales Manager Account Manager Hardest habit to break: Going to bed too late If there was one thing I could do all over again… Manufacturing & Freshly brewed coffee First date with my wife Northern Region Favourite drink: Best car on the road/favourite car of all times: Favourite holiday destination ever: Holden HG Monaro Whitsunday Islands

STEEL IN TOUCH James Cummins ANYTHING Account Manager GOES ONLINE XLERCOIL® & Southern Region

® BUT STEEL XLERPLATE If you think the cost of living Customer in Sydney is eye-watering, spare a thought for the Service Group denizens of Tokyo, London Phone: 1300 135 004 and Moscow; the world’s most expensive cities. Fax: 1300 135 003 Zoran Sterjovski Sydney, while rocketing up the E-mail: Customer Service Officer charts in recent years, is still down at number 20, nestled between equally [email protected] cosmopolitan Vienna and Rome. Auckland, ranked Back issues of Steel In Touch are now For technical enquiries number 80, is a much less expensive proposition. available online. Mercer Human Resources Consulting, which The creation of the online archive provides call 1800 800 789 compiles the annual figures, bases its rankings on readers with access to stories on 200 goods and services – including the monthly rent ® ® XLERPLATE steel projects published in all For XLERCOIL enquiries on a two-bedroom apartment, the cost of a five state editions since Steel In Touch was call 1800 008 247 hamburger, transport and entertainment. launched more than a year ago. The dearest rent (Tokyo) is approximately $A6000 a It addresses feedback from a recent reader month, while the rent in Buenos Aires for the survey in which 95.6 per cent of respondents equivalent standard apartment will set you back said they wanted to read about interstate about $A800 a month. developments. And the three cheapest cities in the world on To access archive editions of Steel In Touch, Mercer’s list of 144? Asuncion (Paraguay), go to www.xlerplate.com.au and click on Montevideo (Uruguay) and Santo Domingo Steel In Touch. (Dominican Republic).

CONGRATULATIONS NEWLYWEDS JAMES AND RENAE! Account Manager James Cummins has married James and Renae are now deciding on a honeymoon Renae, his partner of nine years. destination for next year. The pair tied the knot at St Bede’s Catholic Church at On behalf of the XLERPLATE® steel team, The Steel in Touch Newsletter has been prepared for information purposes only. BlueScope Steel makes no representation or warranty as to the completeness or accuracy Pyrmont in Sydney on 1 October. congratulations and all the best! of the information contained in the Newsletter. You must make your own assessment of the information contained in the Newsletter and rely on it wholly at your own risk

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