Us and Them

Shortly after starting my Recruitment and HR consultancy Butler HR in February 2000, I walked into Bisalloy headquarters and manufacturing facility in Unanderra and introduced myself to the financial controller at the time, Karen Koks.

Karen told me that Bisalloy was a thriving business and Australia’s only manufacturer of high performance Q&T (quenched & tempered) plate steel. Bisalloy began operations in Wollongong in 1980, and had since forged an excellent reputation throughout Australia and other parts of the world for its market-leading high wear and high strength BISALLOY? branded products; particularly in mining and defence.

She went on to explain that Bisalloy was a great employer and consequently had very low staff turnover; so it was most unlikely that Bisalloy would require the assistance of Butler HR in the foreseeable future.

In early 2001, I got a call from Karen to tell me she was pregnant and required a Financial Controller for maternity cover. Since that call, Butler HR have worked with Bisalloy every year and recruited the vast majority of their workforce; with close 100 appointments. We have also assisted with outplacement, team reviews, Values and definition and the redesign of the performance management, aptly labelled BisEnergy.

In 2003 Bisalloy listed on the ASX and today counts some of the world’s leading mining, quarrying and exploration companies, industrial and commercial equipment manufacturers, defence organisations and others amongst its clients.

I’ve been fortunate to work at close quarters with the likes of CEOs Robert Terpening, Greg Albert and now Glenn Cooper. I’ve watched this Australian manufacturing icon go from the Atlas Groups jewel in the crown to a successful ASX listing and expansion into China. Today, Bisalloy employ around 80 people locally and a further 160 internationally.

In this most inauspicious year where COVID has challenged our human and commercial realities, Bisalloy celebrates it’s 40th year and Butler HR celebrates 20 years in operation.

Bisalloy’s new company video celebrates their workforce, amazing products and impact on the national and world stage. The video also makes me feel proud of Butler HR’s role in their history and market leading position today.

Congratulations Bisalloy.