2010 WTIA Medium Fabricator of the Year

K&R Fabrications (W'gong) Pty Ltd was named as WTIA MEDIUM FABRICATOR OF THE YEAR 2010. K&R commenced business in 1968 as a light steel fabrication company. Today the company, located in Unanderra NSW is recognised throughout the Illawarra and surrounding area as a progressive well managed supplier, fabricator and installer of structural steelwork, and a major provider of maintenance services to a diverse customer base.

Their core business and core competency is heavy industry maintenance contracting, with the goal to assist industry increase efficiency, competitiveness and effectiveness of operations by providing unique "full production support services" and state-of-the-art technologies.

K&R provides general fabrication work for a range of customers including Blue-Scope Steel, BHP Billiton, Continental Carbon, Boral, Caltex, Coregas and BOC and is recognised for their quality workman-ship and ability to deliver on time.

With a long history of directly employing apprentices in steel fabrication, K&R Fabrications has been able to maintain this regardless of the external challenges faced in today's economic climate. The company sees the need and value of employing apprentices and remains one of the very few companies in the Illawarra to remain independent and indenture their own apprentices.

The company is particularly proud of its young employees' achievements through the WorldSkills Australia competition. Shane Ashton, the regional gold medallist in construction steelwork in 2007 went on to represent Australia in the international competition in 2009 in Calgary, Canada - the first Australian in this category in 25 years. In 2009, Guy Brooks won the regional welding category, and Shane's brother Michael Ashton the construction steelwork - and both went on to be gold medallists in the national competition and will represent Australia in the international competitions in London later this year.

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