Skill, quality, and professionalism took centre stage last night as the winners of the 2024 Victoria and Tasmania Welding Excellence Awards were announced in Melbourne.
Hosted by Weld Australia, the Excellence Awards are the most prestigious event on the welding industry calendar. These awards honour and highlight the exceptional work of local welders, fabricators, and educators contributing to the industry’s growth.
This year’s ceremony was held at Crowne Plaza, drawing together the brightest talents from the Victorian and Tasmanian welding sectors. The event celebrated the outstanding achievements and workmanship demonstrated over the past year.
Geoff Crittenden (CEO of Weld Australia) said, “The 2024 Welding Excellence Awards showcase the exceptional talent of welders and fabricators across Victoria and Tasmania. We are excited to honour both individuals and businesses who are driving advancements in welding through their commitment to quality, safety, and innovation.”
“The winners this year embody the pursuit of cutting-edge, sustainable solutions that enhance project outcomes while reducing risks, alongside initiatives that broaden and deepen the skilled workforce within the welding sector,” Crittenden said.
Hanlon Industries won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Fabrication for Victoria. Hanlon Industries is a second generation Australian business, specialising in steel fabrication. Operating across road, rail, airports, and commercial developments, Hanlon provides comprehensive in-house solutions that include concept design, project management, manufacturing, and construction. They are also recognised for their community involvement and support, actively engaging with local organisations to provide apprenticeship opportunities, foster emerging talent, and promote diversity within the workforce.
Jayben Group won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Fabrication for Tasmania. The Jayben Group is an original equipment manufacturer that specialises in power train products and light to medium industrial plant and equipment—including R&D, engineering, manufacture, domestic and international distribution, and continuous improvement. Headquartered in Burnie, Tasmania, and with operations in Royal Park, South Australia, Jayben develops their own branded products and bespoke solutions to an expanding group of businesses throughout Australia and Asia.
ACCIONA won the 2024 Victoria Project of the Year Award for PPG’s Plant C manufacturing facility. ACCIONA was engaged to perform the structural, mechanical, and piping works package for a new water-based paint manufacturing facility known as “Plant C” at PPG’s site in Clayton, Victoria. ACCIONA’s scope of work included the fabrication of all piping/tubing and structural supports comprising of mild steel structural frames and stainless steel pressure piping/vessels. At its peak, the ACCIONA team consisted of over 100 personnel – navigating a complex design process to deliver a first-of-its-kind plant.
Crisp Bros & Haywards won the 2024 Tasmania Project of the Year Award for the Fyans Street rail bridge. The Fyans Street rail bridge is a level crossing removal project being undertaken by the McConnell Dowell Downer Joint Venture. Crisp Bros & Haywards were contracted to fabricate the 550t centre steel section, including two 32 metre long, 4.2 metre high I beams weighing more than 125t each, and two 16 metre long I beams weighing over 65t. Specialist fabrication and transport equipment was required to safely and efficiently weld, rotate and transport sections of this scale.
Structural Challenge won the 2024 Health and Safety in Welding Award. Structural Challenge is a Victorian-based steel fabrication company known for their strong commitment to quality and innovation. Since its inception, Structural Challenge has established itself as a leader in the industry with a focus on health and safety in every aspect of its operations. Their dedication to maintaining a safe work environment is reflected in their comprehensive health and safety management plan, active engagement in continuous safety improvement, and a work culture of safe and lean manufacturing.
Migomag Welding Supplies won the 2024 Company of the Year Award – Supplier. Migomag Welding Supplies specialises in providing high-quality welding solutions across a broad range of sectors, including construction, manufacturing, and infrastructure. Over the past 30 years, the Migomag brand has become renowned for their comprehensive suite of welding machines and welding consumables, and advanced capabilities in both manual and automated welding processes. With state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology, the company demonstrates an unwavering commitment to advancing the welding industry through innovation, exceptional quality, and customer satisfaction.
Chisholm TAFE won the 2024 Training and Education – Organisation Award for Victoria. Chisholm TAFE’s Engineering Department is a premier training provider, delivering an array of courses designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful career in engineering, fabrication and welding. Training over 1000 students annually, Chisholm TAFE boasts an impressive 97% retention rate for apprenticeship delivery – catering to a diverse student body from various genders, age groups, and cultural backgrounds. The department has a particular focus on encouraging women in trades.
TasTAFE won the 2024 Training and Education – Organisation Award for Tasmania. TasTAFE Metals and Manufacturing provides training to approximately 800 students across campuses statewide – supporting employment and workforce development. The dynamic educational model places students’ needs and industry requirements at the centre of delivery, with the ability to quickly develop programs from scratch to help businesses expand into new manufacturing sectors. A big supporter of WorldSkills, many TasTAFE teachers assist with running and judging regional and national competitions.
The four winners of the 2024 Welding Professional of the Year Award were: Krishna Annapureddy from Alstom for the Welding Coordinator category; Brett Sutton from Ulbricht International for the Welding Inspector category; and Joel Sibraa from Furphy Engineering (Victoria) and Matthew Swinden from Elphinstone (Tasmania) for the Welding Supervisor category.
Iesha Swan from Hanlon Industries won the 2024 Young Trades Person of the Year category. Since starting her boilermaking apprenticeship with Hanlon Industries in 2023, Iesha has consistently outperformed her peers, earning the title of the best at her level every year at trade school. She has quickly become an essential part of the team, known for her ability to not only handle her own tasks with precision but also assist seasoned boilermakers with fabricating and designing complex steel structures. Iesha’s contributions have been integral to the successful completion of several key projects at Hanlon Industries.
Farokh Banihashemi from Shadbolt Group was named the 2024 Trades Person of the Year. Farokh has twenty years of experience as welder in the oil and gas, fabrication, and shipbuilding industries in Iran and Australia. Specialising in process piping and structural shipbuilding, Farokh is an outstanding and highly-skilled welder who is always able to deliver projects of high specification within time and quality requirements. His productivity and workmanship quality set an example to other welders at Shadbolt, who regularly train with Farokh to advance their own exotic welding skills.
Rodney Bentvelzen from Chisholm TAFE won the 2024 Training and Education – Individual Teacher Award for Victoria. With a distinguished career spanning 30 years, Rodney has significantly contributed to the welding and fabrication industry through his exemplary teaching and industry involvement – from organising welding exams and competitions to integrating new technology into his teach practice. Rodney’s impact extends beyond the classroom, playing an active role in the Victorian Engineering Senate committee and Victorian TAFE Teachers of Mechanical and Fabrication streams to promote collaboration and best practices among training providers.
Michael Schnackenberg from TasTAFE won the 2024 Training and Education – Individual Teacher Award for Tasmania. Michael is a highly-respected TasTAFE teacher, with 35 years of trade experience and industry recognition including the 2004 National Gold Medal for Construction Steelwork. In addition to overseeing the delivery of the AS1796 program in the North West, Michael mentors and supports his fellow teachers to ensure they have a deep understanding of welding codes requirements. His passion and enthusiasm for teaching inspire and engage students, creating a positive and productive classroom environment.
About Weld Australia
Weld Australia represents the welding profession in Australia. Its members are made up of individual welding professionals and companies of all sizes. Weld Australia members are involved almost every facet of Australian industry and make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy. The primary goal of Weld Australia is to ensure that the Australian welding industry remains locally and globally competitive, both now and into the future. Weld Australia is the Australian representative member of the International Institute of Welding (IIW). For more information or to join Weld Australia, please visit: www.weldaustralia.com.au.
