Future power

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April 15, 2025

Snowy Hydro’s nation-building Snowy 2.0 project, which is the largest renewable energy project under construction in Australia, provides a long-term, stable power source with low-carbon emissions. Started in 2019, it’s around 60 per cent complete as its 3000-person workforce aims for a finish date of December 2028.

Snowy 2.0 will create 27 kilometres of tunnels, build a pumped hydro power station 800 metres below ground level and generate more than 4000 direct jobs in the Snowy Mountains region of NSW. It will increase the original Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme generating capacity by 50 per cent or 2200 megawatts.

“A mega-project like this requires ingenuity and innovation,” says Marianne McCabe, manager of community and stakeholder engagement at Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV). To build Snowy 2.0 on behalf of Snowy Hydro Limited, FGJV uses the skills of three companies: Australia’s Clough, Italy’s Webuild and the US-based Lane Construction.

“The scale and complexity of this project is impressive. Building a powerhouse deep underground presents its own unique challenges and we have one tunnel-boring machine (TBM) tunnelling at a very steep positive gradient. The upstream surge shaft is the largest diameter and deepest operational shaft in the southern hemisphere, at 28 metres wide and more than 250 metres deep.”

ACTING LOCALLY

One of the main challenges on this project is that they are building in a remote area of the Snowy Mountains. Absolutely everything required for construction needs to be transported into the site. Snowy Hydro and FGJV are committed to using local businesses and suppliers to capitalise on their convenience of location and awareness of the unique qualities of the Snowy Mountains region.

“To date, about $220 million has been spent with businesses in local government areas around the project,” says McCabe. One of those businesses is CSS member, Switched-On Electrical Supplies (SOES), based in the town of Tumut, NSW. Started in 2004 by Tim Salmon and supported by his brother, Jono Salmon, the business has a core focus of electrical wholesale.

The owners of Switched On Electrical Supplies inspecting the site.

“Over time that has morphed into industrial and electrical supplies,” says founder Tim Salmon. “Our products are also fully available to the general public.”

FGJV approached SOES during the early days of construction, requesting they submit a tender to supply electrical products for camp construction. The tender was accepted and SOES supplied basics such as wiring and switches for 600 worker accommodation units on three different sites. SOES also supplied specialised industrial sensors and instrumentation products.

“Once the camps were completed, our relationship with FGJV evolved so we’re now supplying power tools for construction and consumables to support the progress of the project,” says Tim Salmon. “Snowy 2.0 is spread across five different sites in an area of around 100 square kilometres. It’s a huge undertaking.”

The remoteness of the location means everything and everyone needs to come in and out by trucks. Weather can be an issue and the logistics of maintaining camps for the workforce while constructing 27 kilometres of tunnels is daunting. The tunnels will connect two dams, Tantangara and Talbingo, with the underground power station positioned between them. Water will be pumped to the upper dam, Tantangara, when there’s surplus renewable energy and demand is low.

Water will be released to the lower dam, Talbingo, generating electricity when the demand is high. “We’ve certainly faced some challenges,” says McCabe. “We’ve had to come up with some technical innovations suitable for this world-class project. We are proud to know the whole construction and the tunnelling world is watching what we’re doing to bring Snowy 2.0 to completion.”

When SOES agreed to become a supplier, Tim Salmon had no doubts they could service the needs of such an expansive undertaking.

“I was absolutely confident,” he says. “We have a great team to make this happen. The project has grown in scope over time and we now service subcontractors doing work for FGJV. Snowy 2.0 is a large part of our business but we also have many other projects and clients. Switched-On only has seven full-time staff but we consistently deliver in a timely and efficient manner. We’re proud to be associated with Snowy 2.0. It’s this generation’s gift to the future.”

Snowy 2.0 will provide renewable on-demand energy while utilising largescale storage, benefitting generations to come. By using local suppliers, subcontractors and businesses, projects like this bring economic benefit to the region.

“Snowy Hydro had an established relationship with Switched-On Electrical Supplies for its existing hydro operations,” says McCabe. “Future Generation has successfully expanded this long-term partnership. We recently brought Tim and Jono back to site for meetings with key representatives from Future Gen. They also went underground to see where their equipment is being used with one of the tunnel boring machines.”

For Tim Salmon, the involvement with FGJV has been an extremely positive experience. “Exposing us to such a large project has been very beneficial for our business,” he says. “It’s upskilled our internal workforce, strengthened our problem-solving abilities and built on our capabilities.”

The original Snowy Scheme just celebrated its 75th anniversary. It still stands as one of the world’s greatest achievements in engineering.

“Snowy 2.0 carries on that grand tradition,” says McCabe. “We are walking in the footsteps of those former workers as we expand on the original scheme. We’re building a project that’s our legacy for future generations.”

Tax Tips

By

Paul Davy

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April 15, 2025

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Picture this: It’s Friday night at the pub when a mate tells you they’ll be getting a hefty tax deduction because of a new ute or expensive tools. Feeling excited at the thought of a big tax refund, you rush out and buy an expensive vehicle. But when tax time rolls around, you discover that asset write-off laws don’t allow an immediate deduction, or worse, you bought the car in the wrong financial year. Now, you’re out of pocket and have missed out on the tax benefit.

AVOID ‘PUB’ TAX ADVICE

“Tradies are skilled at their craft but often lack expertise with numbers or tax issues,” says Stacey Price, a chartered accountant, registered tax agent and financial coach at Healthy Business Finances. “Many fall into the trap of relying on ‘pub’ tax advice, creating issues for their businesses.”

Price often hears her clients repeat tax tips overheard at the pub or weekend barbecues, such as how to claim big-ticket business items, but without understanding the rules. The original source of the information is often sketchy or unreliable. She stresses the importance of consulting with an accountant before major purchases, particularly leading up to the end of the financial year.

“We read and apply ATO rules and tax legislation to our client’s unique tax situation before giving personalised advice. For accountants to provide you with the best advice, these conversations need to happen throughout the tax year or around April or May, not on July 1 or only once a year. This allows us to determine whether it’s the right time for you to buy an asset, how much to contribute towards super, and implement other tax-reduction strategies. An accountant will also look at your numbers and advise you on what not to do. Waiting until after June 30 is too late. We can still provide guidance, but it’ll apply to the next financial year.”

EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

Another tax trap for tradies is the reluctance to use technology in their business. “If your glovebox is overflowing with receipts, it’s time to buy simple accounting software,” says Price. Tools like Xero or QuickBooks can help capture and store invoices, reducing EOFY stress and making tax returns easier to prepare.

“Some clients resist paying for software thinking it’s an unnecessary cost. But they end up spending hours creating manual records that can get lost,” Price says. “I’ve had clients lose track of invoices, have overdue payments and lose money months later because they felt embarrassed to ask for the money. With accounting software, they can upload invoices, take payments and issue receipts from their phone or iPad. We’ll see it on our end within seconds— no more faded receipts to decipher months later.”

DIY TAX ERRORS

For those tradies who prepare their own tax returns, Price offers a word of caution. “DIY tax can only take you so far. It depends on your business structure, knowledge of tax laws, and compliance requirements, especially if you employ staff.”

In 2023-24, the Australian Tax Office (ATO) received over 47,000 tip-offs about tax avoidance and dishonest practices, such as undeclared income and under-reporting sales. The building and construction industry ranked among the top three offenders, alongside cafes and restaurants and beauty services.

“I’ve seen business owners mistakenly claim items they’re not eligible for or miss deductions they’re entitled to,” Price notes. “The ATO can audit businesses for up to four years, or even seven years, depending on their structure. If you use an accountant, they’ll handle the audit for you, sparing you the stress.”

CHOOSE THE RIGHT ACCOUNTANT

Business owners often feel confused about the type of professional they need to hire to do their taxes. Price explains this is common in her industry. “If you need to lodge a tax return, hire an accountant with a tax agent license. They are the only ones authorised to give tax advice. Make sure you’re speaking to the right person, so you get the right advice for your tax situation.”

What if the business needs help in setting up the right systems, software and processes? “You don’t necessarily need a tax agent to give that advice, but usually that flows into what your business needs to have in place to make the tax return process easier. Those conversations potentially need to be with a tax agent,” says Price.

Businesses in the same niche may face different tax rules depending on their structure. “For example, a plumber with apprentices operating within a company structure has different obligations than a sole trader with no staff. When you hear tax advice at the pub, are you comparing apples with apples? As a company, you’re answerable to different regulatory bodies. So, before following random tax advice, talk to your tax agent or tax accountant,” says Price.

Hell on earth

By

Paul Davy

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April 15, 2025

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Climate change is one topic guaranteed to get Mat Santamouris hot under the collar. As a Professor of High-Performance Architecture at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and a past professor at the University of Athens, Santamouris has studied different ways to cool the planet for most of his academic career.

Involved with more than 200 largescale heat-mitigation projects across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia, his work includes developing thermochromic materials such as paint that changes colour with the temperature to keep places cool in summer and warm in winter; nanotechnology that gives surfaces a much lower temperature than the ambient temperature; and ultra reflective photonic materials that absorb less heat.

The multi award-winning energy physicist says overpopulation, rapid urbanisation and waste heat from industry, cars and air conditioners, are transforming our cities into urban heat islands. Affecting more than 450 cities globally, he says extreme urban heat is the most documented climate change phenomenon because it contributes to increasing energy consumption needs and adversely impacts health.

The problem is exacerbated because there is no one cause impacting all cities, he says.

“Take for example Western Sydney. It is overheated, and during summer presents about 10 degrees higher temperatures compared to the eastern suburbs. In a distance of 60 kilometers, that’s tremendous. This is because of its proximity to the desert. This is the main problem. It’s not because we lack greenery, have very high anthropogenic heat or we’re not using the proper materials. These contribute, but it’s not the main reason.”

THE NEXT GENERATION OF MATERIALS

Santamouris is now leading a project partnership between UNSW Sydney and the University of Sydney that will produce new building materials capable of reducing urban temperatures and counteracting the effects of climate change.

The so-called ‘super cool’ roofs, pavements and coatings for buildings can reduce peak temperatures in our cities by up to four degrees. They work by reducing the energy needed for cooling, decreasing carbon-dioxide emissions that increase the magnitude of climate change.

“Under the sun, with 42 degrees ambient temperature, the super cool materials’ surface temperature was 25 degrees.” Because they reflect, rather than absorb solar energy, widescale adoption of such materials have the potential to make cities more economical, environmentally friendly and liveable, he says.

“These materials are very reflective. They reflect, but the most important property is that these materials emit heat at wavelengths which really can escape the earth’s atmosphere and go directly to space. We can send the excess heat of the materials directly to space because our planet has a so-called atmospheric window, where the heat may escape. This is the mechanism that really keeps the earth cool. It’s a natural air conditioner without expending any energy.”

More importantly, the technology may also save lives. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 984 people across Melbourne and Sydney died from heat-related illnesses in 2020, a significant jump from the 465 heat-related deaths that occurred across the same cities thirteen years earlier in 2007.

One study found introducing super cool materials with other heat mitigating strategies, such as increased greenery and shade, could save around 10 lives per year, per 100,000 residents.

THE WAY FORWARD

The next stage of the project will see Santamouris’ team provide cost-benefit analyses and scientific documentation on the adoption of cool roofs in Australia, alongside suggestions on how to improve energy efficiency in existing commercial buildings.

Santamouris says the project team have finalised the first and second generation of the materials and is now working with some “big” Australian companies to commercialise these products. Early work on the project suggests these materials cost about 10 per cent more than their conventional counterparts. However, Santamouris argues this is a small price to pay when compared to the cost of inactivity due to climatic change.

With around 40 percent of the total energy consumption in developed nations attributable to buildings, there is huge potential for impact, he says.

“The cost of overheating in cities is close to $480 billion per year. By 2050 this is going to be $2.5 trillion per year. Therefore, the cost to upgrade the technology is minimal compared to the penalty we’ll have to pay.”

MORE WORK NEEDED

But making super cool roofs, pavements and coatings more readily available only addresses part of the issue of urban overheating, Santamouris says. Ideally what is needed is an economic mechanism whereby those who contribute to increasing the temperature in cities, for example, by their greenhouse gas emissions are financially penalised, and those who help to decrease the temperature through eco-friendly materials or plantings are incentivised.

“If we don’t monetize the cost of the overheating, we’ll never solve the problem. We need really to dare and take measures which will help to decrease the temperature. If not, the cost for the next generations or even for the present generations will be tremendous.”

Taking the hardline

By

Katrina Jende

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January 30, 2025

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In February last year, Maydena Bike Park in Tasmania, Australia, became a major spot for mountain biking. It hosted the Red Bull Hardline event, an extreme downhill mountain bike race known for pushing even the best riders to their limits. This event was held outside North Wales for the first time, bringing the intense Hardline challenge to Australia.

This year’s race made history, especially with the participation of female riders in the finals. Gracey Hemstreet from Canada and Louise-Anna Ferguson from the UK became the first women to compete in a Red Bull Hardline final. Their accomplishment is a big step forward in including women in a sport that has been largely male-dominated.

“I absolutely loved Red Bull Hardline in Tassie,” Hemstreet says. “It was my first Hardline, and it was the most insane experience. The people were amazing, and the course was next level! I can’t wait to see what changes they make for 2025.” Her success, along with Ferguson’s, showed the incredible skill and determination it takes to complete such a challenging race.

A HARD RIDE
Each year, the world’s best downhill mountain bikers are invited to take on the famous Hardline course. Originally held in the Dyfi Valley in North Wales, the event was created by professional rider Dan Atherton. He wanted to build a course that was tougher and more extreme, mixing elements from other action sports like motocross and BMX.

The Tasmanian location, with its rugged landscape, provided the perfect setting for this challenging course, which includes massive jumps, steep drops, and rough, rocky areas. The Hardline course isn’t open to everyone. Only the most talented and experienced riders are invited because of how dangerous it is. Riders get a week to test the course before the race, allowing them to see if they’re ready to face it. The invite-only nature of the event, combined with the high risks involved, makes Hardline one of the toughest challenges in the mountain biking world.

A VISION SPLENDID
Dan Atherton, a professional mountain biker, has been the main designer of Hardline courses. Known for his adventurous spirit and technical skill, Atherton picks out remote, scenic spots and turns them into extremely challenging courses. When he first found the Dyfi Valley in Wales, he was amazed by the huge mountain and waterfall next to it. “It had huge elevation, incredible terrain—everything you could want on a mountain for a downhill track. As soon as I saw it, I knew we had to conquer it,” Atherton says. In recent years, Dan has worked with his brother, Gee Atherton, another top rider, to create courses that test even the best bikers. Each year, they add more challenging features, which keep pushing the sport of downhill mountain biking to new levels.

A TRUE TEST OF SKILL
The Maydena Bike Park course in Tasmania was a mix of man-made and natural elements, providing riders with plenty of challenges. It included a 575-metre drop and gap jumps as wide as 23 metres. Known sections of the course, like Baxter’s Highway, the Road Gap, and the Shark Fin, were especially risky. Riders had to be careful of the weather too, as rain and strong winds could make the track even more dangerous.

This extreme course required riders to be both precise and fearless. Some riders reached speeds of over 70 km/h on parts of the track. With a course this tough, even small mistakes could lead to serious consequences. The design of the track, paired with Tasmania’s wild environment, made the race as much about mental focus as it was about physical ability.

READY, SET, GO
On race day, a crowd of 5000 spectators gathered to watch the riders in action. The event started with Brannigan from New Zealand. Gracey Hemstreet’s amazing ride earned her the title of Rider of the Week, which brought loud cheers from the crowd.

The success of the 2024 event has already generated a lot of excitement for 2025. The next Red Bull Hardline race in Tasmania is scheduled for 7 and 8 February, with tickets going on sale in November. Fans and riders alike are looking forward to another thrilling event at Maydena Bike Park. This event has helped put Tasmania on the map as a must-visit place for mountain biking, thanks to its unique landscape and outdoor culture.

“Red Bull Hardline has a global reputation for being the ultimate test in downhill mountain biking,” says Nic Street, the Minister for Stadia and Events in Tasmania. “Tasmania has long been a bucket list destination for mountain biking because of our unique environment and hospitality, and now the best in the world are coming to prove themselves at Maydena. I am confident that this is set to be the best Red Bull Hardline yet.”

MORE THAN A RACE
Red Bull Hardline is not just about racing; it’s an event that changes what’s possible in downhill mountain biking. With features borrowed from BMX, dirt jumping, and motocross, Hardline pushes riders to develop new skills and face new challenges. The course is designed to test the limits of what a mountain bike can do, inspiring both the riders and fans who watch.

Each year, Red Bull Hardline isn’t just a test for the riders; it also helps the sport of mountain biking grow. The event’s focus on inclusion, environmental responsibility, and achieving athletic excellence has made it a significant moment in the world of downhill mountain biking. As riders prepare for 2025, fans everywhere will be watching as these athletes take on one of the world’s hardest courses, facing both the mountain and their own boundaries.

The good oil

By

Katrina Jende

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January 30, 2025

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AngloMoil creates unique blends of lubricants that consistently outperform other products on the market. For the past 50 years, it has been situated in the northern Sydney suburb of Mount Kuringgai, developing, manufacturing and supplying premium lubricants to various industries.

Started by the Croasdale family in 1975, the company has grown to produce 400 different lubricants across a portfolio of 800 products. Today, its products are used in the manufacturing, agriculture, mining, automotive, marine, construction and food industries.

Its lubricants are an essential component of many original equipment manufacturing (OEM) products, including power tools, grinders, drills and compressors. When a tool or equipment manufacturer needs high-quality lubricant designed to particular specifications, they often turn to AngloMoil.

“A good example of this is our 45-year relationship with Makita power tools,” says Victor Prasad, the global CEO and director at AngloMoil. His family acquired the company in 2018 but still utilise the skills of co-founder Michael Croasdale as a technical advisor. “While we work closely with a lot of manufacturers, our oldest client is Makita. Their products leave the factory fully Makita labelled but it’s our lubricants that help make them the high-quality products Australians love. Most of our company growth is working with OEMs that incorporate our lubricants.”

MASTER MANUFACTURERS
With a large portfolio of products, AngloMoil recently developed a sub brand category to aid in its marketing and to make things simple for clients. Everything designed for automotive transport is now part of the RoadMaster range. Products used with marine or ocean-faring vessels are under the SeaMaster range. Food and beverage manufacturing is covered by FoodMaster.

“We’ve created 13 sub-ranges that clearly identify where the products are used,” says Prasad. “Someone who has a tractor or other agricultural equipment will automatically choose from our AgriMaster range. We are forging a new identity with our sub-brand marketing.”

Once an opportunity is identified, it can take up to three years to develop a product. AngloMoil’s successful high-performance engine oil, RasynPro, was created through a cooperation with a professional motor sport group. At that time, there was no Australian-made product available to compete with imported international brands. AngloMoil started with a base product and developed trial formulations for bench testing, lab testing, field testing and track testing.

“We launched RasynPro on the back of 36 months of development and testing,” says Prasad. “When trialed in the motor sports group’s own vehicles under race conditions, RasynPro outperformed everything else on the market. As a result, we’re now developing other high-performance products such as engine and gear oils.”

THE RIGHT SOLUTION
AngloMoil is Australia’s only manufacturer of food grade lubricants for use in the food and beverage manufacturing industry. All these products must meet global National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) requirements. From raw materials through to the finished product, everything is sourced with approvals suitable for use in food and beverage manufacturing industries.

“Everything is separately blended,” says Prasad. “There’s no chance of cross-contamination. These products are very different to traditional lubricants used in other industries.”

As lubricants are not visible under operating conditions, they are often an unknown commodity within the component. Nevertheless, it’s critical to use the right lubricant with the right component in the right situation. AngloMoil’s strength—and point of difference—is that it’s an Australian owned and run company, manufacturing everything for Australian conditions.

“The right lubricant must be considered in conjunction with the operating conditions,” says Prasad. “Foreign companies manufacture their products to suit their biggest markets, usually the USA or Japan. Australia has its own specifications for local consumption. Operating equipment in Far North Queensland in 45-degree heat with 90 per cent humidity is very different to operating out of Southern Tasmania. We supply products to suit different conditions and different expectations.”

BESPOKE OR BULK
In order to cover all the requirements of its clients, AngloMoil has a scalable business model when it comes to manufacturing. It can create small specific blends of 800 litres up to 10,000 litres very rapidly. Popular products can be supplied in 100,000 litre lots—that’s four tanker loads—just as easily as a 2000-litre order.

It also exports its products overseas, supplying around a dozen different countries. Additionally, AngloMoil has a manufacturing centre in South-East Asia. In keeping with its ethos, all Asian manufacturing is specifically designed for South-East Asian markets and conditions.
In Australia, AngloMoil is committed to developing its business network through distributors. The business is growing and after 50 years at the same location, the company is expanding.

“Our current facility on one acre at Mount Kuring-gai will be dedicated to pure manufacturing,” says Prasad. “We’ve invested in a five-acre property, a stone’s throw away. We plan to relocate our head office and house our packaging lines and warehousing there. The new premises will allow the blending facility to fully expand and reach its full potential. It’s a very exciting time.”

Going the distance

By

Katrina Jende

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January 30, 2025

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A prestigious win for Matthew Pezzuto of Horizon Construction Services has confirmed what he has always thought—that attention to detail and good-quality work makes a difference and gets noticed. Based in South Australia, Pezzuto won the 2023 Toyota Young National Builder of the Year, a prestigious national award, which raised his profile as well as that of his company.

“It was quite an honour to tell you the truth,” he says. “We’ve had some high-profile jobs of late, which have been good and went really well. It’s really good to be recognised and especially nationally.”

Now just 11 years old, Horizon Construction Services specialises in commercial building work, undertaking projects that Pezzuto says run from the “zero to $30 million mark”. Pezzuto established Horizon after spending about 15 years working for others in the building industry, starting with a family business when he was still at school.

“My uncle owned a small building company, and my mum thought it would be a good idea if I did some work experience with my uncle during the year 10 holidays,” he explains. “I decided to work with him, and I really enjoyed it. And I continued on for a number of school holidays until I had to decide what career path I wanted to take.
“I looked at carpentry and construction management and even architecture and a few other professions in the building industry. However, in the end, I decided to do a uni degree in construction management and economics. I continued working with my uncle until the end of year 12 when he said it would be a good idea to go work with someone else and broaden my experience.”

Pezzuto went on to work with a large construction company in South Australia for about 12 years, while he attended university and then afterwards, before he started Horizon Constructions. Horizon takes on projects that Pezzuto calls “corporate institutional” work. “We’re very specific in the type of clientele we choose. We do a lot of government projects, and a lot of education and health projects as well. We employ about 20 people.”
Working on government projects does involve a certain amount of process, red tape and paperwork, he admits, but ultimately is quite rewarding.
“You generally have to staff those projects a bit more than you would in a private sector job. There are also a lot of overheads to government projects because it means you have to run jobs a certain way. We have two full-time estimators and additional staff to help the
estimating department, which is a huge cost each year. We get a lot of negotiated work; we do tender work, and we win projects under a number of different procurement methods as well.
“The first thing to do for any builder looking for this work is to get on the tender list, which is not easy,” Pezzuto says. “We won’t do open tender work; we try and do invited work. At least you know they want you to do the project and you’re not wasting your time.”

He says that winning those projects is a multi-pronged strategy in itself. “The first element is actually getting on the list. You’ve then got to win it, then you’ve got to make money out of it, and then you’ve got to deliver.”

Like many builders, Pezzuto is facing a shortage of workers, and the company has been actively trying to attract younger entrants to the industry and training them up through the company. The challenge is to find experienced personnel to train these younger workers.

“You’ve got to have the right people in place to actually be able to train recruits, otherwise you are probably doing yourself a disservice and also the worker that you take on,” he explains.

Horizon has big plans for the future. The company is hoping to expand and take on larger projects and is now in the process of getting federally accredited as well. Pezzuto is also a strong believer in giving back to the industry and says that he has become active in the local
Master Builders Association. “I have been heavily involved in the Master Builders commercial committees,” he says. “We advise on commercial matters, and everyone tries to help the industry as best way they can. It has been really good.

“It’s funny because you end up meeting a lot of people and competitors, but generally everyone wants the same thing—to do good work.

“I think in South Australia we’re pretty lucky because, especially in the commercial sector, a lot of building companies are actually very good. Everyone tries to do the best they can. Working together helps to raise standards and makes the industry stronger.”

Future Tradies

By

Katrina Jende

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January 30, 2025

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What will the tradie of the next few decades look like? How will trades change in response to changes in the broader society? The Future Tradie Report released earlier this year identifies five major trends as it maps out how business, government and industry bodies can support the new-look trades sector of the future.

Its authors describe it as a ‘forward looking’ document as it forecasts industry shifts in the next five years to help guide decision-making impacting the sector. To do that, researchers took a ‘deep dive’ into ‘tradie’ values, ambitions and hurdles using a survey of more than 1000 workers.

The findings released early in 2024 identify five main themes:

Limitless ongoing learning using business coaches, specialist partners, AI and social networks to get ahead
A values reboot to focus on excellence in resilience, integrity, adaptability, professionalism and dedication
Sustainable building to save energy and reduce waste
Tradie hospitality; building businesses based on a good reputation to create lifelong customers who value professionalism
Creating a positive team culture that helps people grow, and sharing that culture on social media to attract the best workers

Nearly two million people in Australia work in the technicians and trades sector including electricians, carpenters and plumbers.
The report says that while the last 30 years have been good for trades, the future holds particular challenges. It says the collapse of building companies has jumped by “28 per cent year-on-year” and that even in a tough labour market more tradies drop out of apprenticeships each year than qualify.
It predicts that by 2033, 16 per cent of today’s trade workforce will have retired and 75 per cent of the workforce will be millennials and gen Zs. The latter are eager to build their own businesses, and open-minded and tech savvy as eager adopters of ChatGPT, job management systems and business monitoring software to increase efficiency.

The Future Tradie Report was created by Reece’s Breakthrough Innovation Group including brand and creative agency Trout, innovation consultancy Next, and venture capital fund SuperSeed, with collaboration from corporate partners including BlueScope, Dulux and CSR.
Report co-author and researcher, Reece Group senior innovation designer Olivia Ellis, says the work took nine months to complete during which there were a number of ‘Aha!’ moments when researchers pinpointed really pivotal shifts. Section 4 Tradie Hospitality was one, describing workers as polished service providers striving to convey a high level of professionalism, and showing up to jobs organised, efficient and well branded, breaking the mould of the old ‘scuffed-boots’ stereotype.

Another was Section 5 Magnetic Culture, centred on creating a positive team culture, helping people grow and using social media to share that culture as a way of attracting good staff.
Ellis explains, “Tradies are really feeling the pinch in terms of finding and retaining skilled labour and they are looking now at creating more human-centered businesses as a way of being able to find and retain talent.
“There’s a focus on how they’re treating their staff, how they’re training and nurturing young talent, how they’re considering themselves as business leaders so that they can bring those younger folks along for the ride.
“And this is breaking the mould too; there’s no longer this feeling of, ‘I had it really tough when I was an apprentice, so you have to have it tough too,’ like a rite of passage,” Ellis adds.

Sydney-based electrician and Energy Culture CEO Joe Edginton whose business focuses on sustainable and renewable energy, took part in the Future Tradies survey. Edginton is one of a number of innovative trade business owners whose responses inform the Future Tradie Report.
An early adopter of new technology for his business, Edginton is also strongly committed to maintaining a healthy internal culture as the cornerstone of delivering quality service. He says every quarter he sits down with his team to talk about what’s working in the business and what’s not and where the company can improve.
They then create a list of work-related and personal goals, and record them in an app, planning to review them three months later to see how far they have progressed towards achieving them.
He explains it not only helps his workers develop by being conscious of their work and life goals, but also encourages them to think about the quality of their lives and how they might improve on that a bit at a time.
“They also do a 14-day check-in—a little checklist that just pops up [on the app] about how they are doing onsite, any feedback and problems and so on.
“It’s been really good,” he says. “That’s how you get people working together. We put these goals together and they know you are not just there to take their time away and make money.”

Be nice

By

Katrina Jende

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January 30, 2025

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Whether you’re a tradie working out on site or a small business owner toiling away in store, relationships matter. In a competitive market, it’s not just about skills, products and prices; trust, reliability, and communication can be what set you apart.
Building stronger business relationships helps to create loyalty toward your business and encourages customers to return over and over again. And the good news is you don’t need to transform into a talkative extrovert or learn the names and ages of all your clients’ children to reap the benefits. Once you’ve found customers for your business, the next step is to retain their custom. One of the best ways to do that is by building good relationships with them. Forging stronger relationships builds loyalty and goodwill, increasing the value of your business. These connections also help you attract new customers through word of mouth and act as a buffer during challenging times.

“People do business with people, not necessarily with businesses,” explains business coach Donna Stone. “It’s about knowing and trusting you. If someone knows you and likes you and trusts you, they’re more likely to do business with you or refer you to others and keep that relationship going.”
It’s equally important to nurture relationships with suppliers, sales reps, accountants, service providers and anyone else within the orbit of your business, explains Nicole Cox, cofounder of business consultancy Tradies in Business.
“If we don’t have strong relationships with these people, we’ve got nobody to fall back on when we need help,” she says. “Often, as a business owner, we find ourselves with a shortfall—we’ve forgotten to order something, and we need to get it somewhere in a rushed way. If we’ve got a relationship with someone, that opens the door to being supported in the business rather than having to go it alone.”

You might even develop relationships with other tradies and small business owners to whom you can refer clients for overflow work and for services your business doesn’t provide. “Sometimes your competitors can be really good business connections,” Stone says.
Building business relationships doesn’t need to involve asking personal questions or a lot of social chitchat if that’s not your thing. What matters is forging meaningful—and, dare we say, authentic—connections.

“You don’t need to be an extrovert or someone who has the gift of the gab. Quite often, good relationships are built by people who listen,” Stone says, explaining that simply asking about someone’s weekend and actively listening to their reply is an effective starting point.

Tradies in Business co-founder, Warrick Bidwell, says “making deposits into the other person’s ‘emotional bank account’”, as he likes put it, promotes connection and trust, transforming business transactions into relationships.
“Tell your client what’s going on with the job as most people want certainty. Or if a customer has been great at telling you what they want, tell them that. Say something nice to your customers or suppliers that makes them feel good,” he advises.

“You’ve made their day a little bit easier, or you’ve reduced their stress levels a little bit. That takes the transactional nature out of it.” Even something as simple as offering to buy a coffee builds relationships, Bidwell says. He says a tradie who called ahead of a meeting to ask if he’d like a latte became his tradie of choice “because he was thinking about me”.

Stone agrees that actions can indeed speak louder than words. “It’s about being personable and doing what you can to help,” she says. You might recommend your mechanic to someone onsite whose vehicle is playing up, stay open for an extra 10 minutes for a regular customer, or simply listen to a client’s concerns with genuine empathy.
It might sound counterintuitive, but digitising your business and using online platforms to streamline functions like sales and marketing can also help you to connect with clients and forge stronger relationships.

“These systems do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of communication because we’re creating a structured system that does it for us, instead of having to reinvent it every single time,” Cox says.
Plus, going digital provides a platform to educate clients about your business—what you do, how you work and when you’re available—which leads to fewer misunderstandings and stronger relationships.

“Not only are we educating our clients and helping set their expectations, but we’re also creating a better outcome for us as business owners because we’ve got educated clients who aren’t asking a bunch of questions. They know what our payment terms are. They know how we work,” Cox says.
Ultimately, Bidwell says, this builds mutual understanding and respect.

“A relationship with a customer is no different to a relationship with a family member or a spouse in that people want to feel heard, and they want to feel like their needs are being met.”

Hot under the collar

By

Katrina Jende

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January 30, 2025

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Heat stress is a major risk to health and safety on a worksite. But if allowed to get out of hand, its consequences can also prove dire.
Those in construction, manufacturing and mining are among those most at risk of heat stress while at work. This is because they deal with high ambient temperatures and humidity, often work in poorly ventilated areas and use heat producing tools and machinery. These employees also work close to heat storing materials such as concrete, rock and metal and often require substantial protective clothing and equipment.

Fortunately, death from occupational heat stress is relatively uncommon in Australia, with the National Coronial Information System recording 17 cases of work-related heat stress deaths between 2000 and 2015. However, heat stress can also significantly reduce people’s capacity to work. A recent KPMG report showed that by 2030, two per cent of total working hours worldwide will be lost every year as high heat makes working more difficult.

In Australia, there is not a specific temperature at which action must be taken by an employer, but an employer’s duty of care means that people carrying out work in extreme heat must be able to do so without risks to health and safety.
It is why unions such as the Electrical Trades Union has agreements that rule when temperatures are forecast to be above 35° Celsius, employees must be relocated out of direct sunlight or into an air-conditioned area.

RISK MANAGEMENT
CSS suppliers Beaver Brands and Paramount Safety—both market hydration products specifically formulated to rehydrate workers on site—argue it costs less to prevent a heat-related accident or illness than it does to recover from one.

Beaver Brands category manager Mariana Ryan, whose company distributes workplace electrolyte brand Sqwincher, says dehydration can affect overall work performance potentially impacting vision, tension, anxiety, fatigue and memory. It is also linked to short-term memory loss, mood swings and impaired motor performance.
Ryan says the human body is made up of around 60 per cent fluid. Dehydration is defined as a one per cent or greater loss of body mass because of fluid loss.
During normal activity, which includes breathing, perspiration, urination and defecation, the human body loses around 2.5 litres of fluid that needs to be replaced daily.
“Even in mild dehydration, loss of two per cent body mass or more, can cause a decrease in performance of up to 50 per cent,” she says.

Ryan says one of the most serious and life-threatening complications arising from dehydration is hypovolemic shock. “It happens when you lose more than 20 per cent of your blood or fluid supply, which prevents the heart from pumping enough blood to keep the body running. It can lead to organ failure and requires immediate emergency medical attention.”

Whether taken in powder, liquid, concentrate or freezer pop format, electrolyte enhanced products are often used on busy worksites as a quick way to increase fluid consumption while aiding hydration and preventing dehydration.
This is because electrolytes such as chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium help transmit electrical signals between the cells.
If they’re unbalanced because of dehydration, these messages can become mixed up and lead to seizures, and occasionally, loss of consciousness.
“Your body runs on electricity, whether it’s the neurons firing in your brain or the pumping of your heart. Electrolytes are chemicals that conduct electricity when dissolved in water. When they interact with other electrolytes and with cells, they keep the body’s small electric currents flowing. Not only does this help your body’s natural processes run smoothly, but it’s also essential for your survival,” Ryan explains.

EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES
SafeWork Australia says employers must do everything that is ‘reasonably practicable’ to eliminate the risks associated with working in heat.
This may include the cancellation of certain work tasks, the rescheduling of tasks to cooler parts of the day or waiting for hot conditions to pass.
Under the WHS Act, which can vary between states and territories, if an employer cannot eliminate the risk, they must make concerted efforts to minimise it. This can include everything from using automated equipment or processes such as a drone to inspect a fire ground, using plant or other equipment to reduce manual labour or establishing work-rest schedules.

Luke Michael, brand manager of Thorzt, a leading provider of hydration solutions, emphasises the importance of educating workers about the signs and symptoms of heat stress.
“Recognising the warning signs in oneself and colleagues is crucial,” Michael says. “Factors like age, fitness level, and medication use can help identify those at higher risk.”
To mitigate heat stress risks, many workplaces employ tools such as the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature and Thermal Work Limit indices to monitor heat conditions. However, Michael warns that these tools have limitations and should be used in conjunction with other preventive measures. A comprehensive heat stress management policy is essential, he says, covering specific responsibilities for key personnel to prevent, identify, manage and control heat stress.

SUTTON TOOLS rising to new heights

By

Katrina Jende

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January 30, 2025

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Sutton Tools is a 5^th generation, family-owned business with a reputation of manufacturing quality cutting tools. After over 100 years of operation, in January 2022 Sutton Tools experienced its darkest hour.

The company’s Kaiapoi (Canterbury, NZ) manufacturing facility (it’s largest) suffered a catastrophic fire which destroyed all production capacity at the plant. Many would forgive the Sutton family if they threw in the towel, but soon after they recommitted to domestic manufacturing and commenced the rebuild in NZ along with accelerated investments in its Australian plants.

During October 2024, Sutton Tools held the Phoenix Summit, a landmark event held across three days at the Thomastown (Victoria, AU) plant, Sutton’s headquarters. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Phoenix Summit was a testament to Sutton Tools strengthened resolve to manufacture locally and engineer cutting-edge solutions for the global market.

The Phoenix Summit included manufacturing , Sutton rebrand and innovation pipeline.

PUSHING ACCESSORY TOOL STORAGE FORWARD

Sutton Tools proudly introduces the Sutton® Stack-In system, a groundbreaking solution in tool organisation designed to meet the evolving needs of professionals and DIY enthusiasts alike. Stack-In redefines power tool accessory storage, accessibility, and management, delivering unmatched versatility and customisation.

The system has four primary components:

1. Stack Pack – Storage Cases

2. Stack Rack – Storage Racks

3. Stack Tac – Multi-Pack Storage Cases

4. Stack Tub – Organisation & Transport Tub

Stack Packs are the primary storage case within the Stack-In system. Featuring a fully modular design, Stack Packs enable users to customize each case to suit their specific needs. Stack Packs are also the first case system designed with height safety in mind. Users can pair Stack Packs with Sutton Tool lanyards to reduce the likelihood of drops which can potentially cause damage and/or injuries to those working below.

Customising kits is easy with the use of Stack Racks, accessory mounting rails that connect with the Stack Pack case range. Suitable for mounting a wide variety of ¼” hex shank accessories, Stack Racks are available either fully populated, or empty enabling complete user flexibility to build the set they want.

Stack Tacs provide a compact and secure storage case with full Stack-In system compatibility. Available in multiple sizes, Stack Tacs are great for storing commonly used accessories such as PHILLIPS® #2 or 5mm Hex Bits & 5/16” Nutsetters.

One of Stack-In’s standout features is its cross-system compatibility with leading modular tool storage brands.

Utilising brand specific Stack Tubs, users can store their Stack-In cases efficiently in their own storage system, but they also double as a carry tub making it easier to transport their sets wherever the job takes them.

Stack-In: Your kit, your way.

Sutton Tools is committed to continually introducing new products and innovations. The feedback and insights from distributors at the Phoenix Summit reaffirm its dedication to delivering cutting edge solutions to meet industry demands and enhance user productivity. The summit not only celebrated Sutton Tools journey but also emphasised its forward momentum, showcasing a commitment to setting new standards in the tool industry.

The new product releases announced at the summit begin rolling out in November and continue throughout 2025. This will allow Sutton Tools distributors to prepare for market launches strategically to address evolving customer needs.