HUTCHIES’ HUTCHINSON BUILDERS 1912 • 2017 105 YEARS A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR HUTCHINSON BUILDERS NOVEMBER 2019 Plumbers’ climate action centre a beacon THE Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) at Narre Warren in Victoria for new smart energy systems was built by Hutchies and has had its official opening as an energy efficient systems and has innovative and comprehensive been designed to achieve the net- research and training facility, zero energy rating,” he said. dedicated to the continuing “Net-zero energy is an aspi- development of plumbing and rational target and one that related industries. requires a non-traditional The Narre Warren campus is approach to some aspects of Australia’s first net-zero energy construction. training facility and the first “The building primarily uses in Australia to utilise building energy generated on site via a foundation screw piling to 281.16kWp solar PV system source geothermal energy for the located on the roof. building’s heating and cooling “A highly thermal-efficient, air- requirements. tight designed façade, combined The campus has been purpose- with geothermal energy and the built to deliver training in the PV system, all ensure the target latest technological advances is achieved. in water collection, storage and Managing director, Greg Quinn, with Hutchies’ project manager, Marcel “The geothermal system is use; heating and cooling systems; Van Vliet, at the official opening of the Plumbing Industry Climate Action unique in that more than half advanced training delivery; Centre at Narre Warren in Victoria which has its operational geothermal the pipework has been installed safety; new product innovation; plant room as a focal point in the main lobby. within screw piles, minimising sustainable practices; and the facility was a beacon for best professionals would be trained at drilling costs associated with world-leading welding and gas practice and was a showcase for the new facility. geothermal installations. technology. how smart energy systems could “The building contains a ➤ Hutchies’ managing director, be incorporated into building number of active and passive Continued on Page 4 Greg Quinn (COTY 2007), who design. represented Hutchies at the Greg said the first generation inauguration in September, said of net-zero energy plumbing Lord Mayor’s Award to Chairman CHAIRMAN, Scott Hutchinson, received a prestigious Lifetime Achieve- ment Award at the recent Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Business Awards. Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, presented the Top End fish tales award to Scott for his contribution to Brisbane. ➤ Full Story, P. 10 Sixth spot in Australia’s top 500 HUTCHIES has reached sixth place in Australia’s top 500 private companies, as rated by the Australian Financial Review. The company is number six based on an annual revenue of $2.82 billion. And Hutchies is in good company being surpassed only by Visy (pulp, paper and converted paper product manufacturing) revenue $6.9 billion; Hancock Prospecting (iron ore mining) revenue $6.08 billion; CBH Group (grain storage) revenue $3.96 billion; Meriton (building construction) revenue $2.92 billion; and HCF (insurance and superannuation funds) revenue $2.86 billion. Psst… Chris Jenour, Hutchies’ still wanna site engineer, shows win an iPad? off the antidote to Hutchies’ Truth stress in the Top End. photographic competition Full story, Page 10. ➤ See P. 4 to own that iPad HUTCHIES’ From the Managing DUE to the combustible cladding debacle across manual which now addresses 21 key quality Director the globe and highly publicised building quality topics. failures in Australia over the past 12 months or so, Our manual has become the bible at Hutchies the quality of buildings, particularly apartment and any departure (unless it’s an improvement) their section of the works unhindered by buildings constructed in Australia, is under heavy is unacceptable. I genuinely believe we lead the others. Getting this right has a massive impact scrutiny. industry in this area. on quality. Driven by community concern and media There are lots of important factors that need ✓ Subcontractor selection is important and buy-in, government and key regulators must to come together to provide superior quality financial capability, calibre of supervisors, and confront what is real in some segments of the buildings. experience all play a big part in the selection construction market across the country. Not all of these are complex – many are simple process. The builder/subcontractor relation- Dealing with the past is one thing, but in but nevertheless equally important. ship is an important factor in the quality equa- the future (and we are already starting to see Hutchies’ quality formula revolves around tion. it) developers, consumers and financiers are some key characteristics, a few of which are as ✓ It’s Hutchies’ job to lead; we don’t just manage looking for more meaningful quality guarantees follows... subcontractors. Intensive pre-planning, from builders. ✓ Hutchies’ industry-leading quality handbook supported by workshops, prototype model- While there are numerous stakeholders in the sets the quality standards on all of our projects. ling, start-up sessions and, most importantly, contractual chain, including design consultants, ✓ Hutchies has 35-plus roving in-house quality constant supervision, is paramount. structural engineers, certifiers, subcontractors experts who continually inspect our projects ✓ Our reputation is paramount. If we get it and suppliers, the builder has ultimate control of for compliance and quality which is in addition wrong, Hutchies always goes back to make the project. to constant onsite supervision. good. At Hutchies, we take this responsibility very ✓ We engage independent design, engineering ✓ Hutchies’ financial strength, with a debt-free seriously – pride in the job and reputation is what and certification professionals at design stage balance sheet of $340 million, allows us to drives us. but, importantly, to inspect at critical stages stand behind our quality commitments. This day was always going to come. during construction. Hutchies began the serious quality journey ✓ Through training and the use of prototypes Hutchinson Builders has withstood the test of more than 15 years ago when it became clear and models, we ensure our supervisors, time having been established in 1912 — more than that many in the industry simply didn’t know subcontractors and their workers fully under- a century ago. what they didn’t know and builders started to stand Hutchies’ quality expectations. Quality is our number one priority at Hutchies; become managers of subcontractors, as opposed ✓ Post completion and in conjunction with we understand that success flows from producing to maintaining the traditional builders’ leading owners and body corporate representatives, superior quality buildings. from the front model. Hutchies conducts six and 12-monthly quality We always do the fair and decent thing and we In 2004, Hutchies introduced its quality hand- inspections on all projects. have the financial strength to back our commitment book which comprised guidelines and quality ✓ Hutchies’ pays everybody on time. We treat to quality. standards dealing with the most common and our subcontractors and their workers decently. Additionally, our simple and transparent single frequently recurring defects found in the build- This is an important aspect of the quality equa- entity business structure to support Hutchies’ $3 ings over the previous 10 years. tion. Everybody works together to produce a billion per year operations is visible to everyone. The theory behind this approach was simply quality outcome. At Hutchies we back ourselves to get it right that “the big 10 defects accounted for 90 per cent ✓ Our jobs have to be organised and well and, despite our size and the volume of our of problems”. managed so that works are performed in an workbook, quality is one area where we shine. Since then, Hutchies has expanded its quality orderly sequence to allow trades to perform – Greg Quinn (COTY 2007) Jack Jnr builds new links with the old country ASSOCIATE director, Jack Park, as well as up north in Hutchinson Jnr, has rekindled Leeds,” Jack said. links with the United Kingdom “It was a wonderful experience construction industry where his and I still keep in touch with great-great-grandfather, John many Wates staff. (Jack) Hutchinson, started out in “Hutchies hopes to nurture the the 1880s. relationship with Wates and the Originally from Lancashire, Jack Snr – builder, entrepreneur door will always be open for any and landlord – married in 1898 of their next generation to come and emigrated with his young work down under,” he said. family to Australia where he Back in London recently, Jack established Hutchies in 1912. presented directors, Jonny and Jack Jnr spent three months of Tim Wates, with a limited edition his MBA summer break this year Jack Hutchinson Jnr shares family stories with Wates Group directors, copy of the centenary publica- in London doing work experience Jonny and Tim Wates. tion, More Than The Truth: with the Wates Group, one of the Hutchies’ Hundred Years. largest builders in the UK, with private family-owned company tive family construction firms. “They appreciated our tabloid 4000 staff and annual revenue of throughout. “After a couple of interviews, £1.6 billion (AUD$2.92 billion). Jack said he originally got in they agreed to have me on for the style magazine, Hutchies’ Truth, Founded in 1897, the group contact with Wates’ chairman, summer where I got to work on but they were a bit shocked at is similar to Hutchies, with its Sir James Wates CBE, and met up major projects in London such what we could get away with in longevity and remaining a for coffee to discuss their respec- as Borough Yards and Wembley Australia,” said Jack. 2 HUTCHIES’ Work starts on The Landmark in Sydney with (from left) Richard Weinman (Warren & Mahoney Architects), Dave Jenkins (Codicote), Evita Liu (New Hope Group), Scott Hutchinson, David Johnson (New Hope Group), The Landmark will redefine the Pam Palmer (Mayor of Lane Cove) and Tony Leung (A+ Architects).