OneSteel to close

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p2141-OneSteelBy ERWIN CHLANDA
 
The town’s biggest steel supplier, OneSteel, will be closing its doors on September 26.
 
The firm, under the name of Stuart and Loyds, started operations in Alice Springs in the early 1950s, in Stokes Street.
 
It later became known as Tubemakers and moved to its present location in 1978.
 
The firm has five employees, and is part of a national chain.
 
One of the firm’s clients, Fabio Bonanni, Managing Director of Bonanni Brickyard, says: “We have been a customer of OneSteel, formerly Tubemakers, for over 40 years.
 
“We have always bought from this company, and before me my father and uncles used Tubemakers and have always had excellent trading terms and support from the Manager, Graeme Anning.
 
“It is very sad and disappointing to see a business of this size to be now forced to close due to insufficient work in the Alice!
 
“It’s my understanding that we can still order, but not having stock on site and available to pick up as needed will cause even more  disruption for building firms.
 
“The team at OneSteel will be sadly missed. They have always been professional and helpful. It’s been a pleasure dealing with them.”

6 COMMENTS

  1. Another blow to the building industry. So sad to not only hear of the closure of OneSteel but also the job losses within the company.
    I have also heard some other companies in the building industry are contemplating this same decision.
    They are hanging on by a thread and hope that there may be change!

  2. The building industry should be busy, manufacturing housing clearly needed to satisfy homelessness, overcrowding problems, and under-development around Central Australia.
    Shame on the relevant corporate land trusts – and their property agent the Central Land Council, for pretending homes, businesses, and employment, all can be obtained without valid leases, without spending, risking, their own wealth.

  3. A bit of history the company was Stewarts & Lloyds, not Stuart. I know as I came here in 1980 to manage Tubemakers and resigned in August 1982.
    I worked for Stewarts & Lloyds and Tubemakers from 1956 until until resigning.
    The company was originally located in the old Owen Agencies building in Stokes Street.
    In the time I was here I experienced a mini boom and a bust but never thought that one day it would come to this.

  4. You are quite right Janet, however it can’t all be slated home to the previous ALP government.
    We are increasingly seeing government departments or not for profits expanding their reach through “self generated income”.
    Government seems to have forgotten that when they set themselves up in direct competition to private industry there is only one result.
    How many engineering firms will we have left in town when we take into consideration that the Alice Springs gaol uses more industrial gases than the two biggest firms combined? What the hell do the public servants think the result is going to be?
    When taxpayers funds are used to support government picks for business or bring people in from out of town to do jobs that people are more than capable of doing locally – what do those people making the decisions on where they spend my money think the end result will be?
    When private business can’t offer employees professional development, six weeks leave or airfares home every year or rental subsidies – you have one result, a downturn.
    But no we have the brains trust treasurer in the NT who blames tax receipts being down on Inpex ordering patterns (that is just bull), and the increases in cost of living as the price that us Territorians have to pay “to live in the best part of the country …” Pathetic.

  5. Wow! Another one bites the dust. I always associated the old Stewart and Lloyds with Tom McKenzie Campbell at the top part, now the tail is going after many years.

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