A BUSINESS NEWSLETTER FOR BLUESCOPE PEOPLE Issue 32 May/June/July 16
COLORBOND® STEEL TURNS 50! Full Year Earnings Update In 2016, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of COLORBOND® steel. This major ‘coming of age’ milestone gives us an opportunity to acknowledge the very special place that COLORBOND® steel holds in Australia. Through a wide range of activities, we will be recognising everyone’s contribution to
making COLORBOND® steel the iconic brand that it is today, enabling all of us to share in the achievement.
There are two key elements to the Anniversary; a new television advertisement and ’50 Days’ of activities across the country that will be starting on 22 August. Page 4
BlueScope updated the stock market with its expected (preliminary unaudited) financial results for FY2016 in mid July. The figures show significant improvement in our Company’s performance, with underlying earnings before interest and tax up to $570 million and net debt reduced by approximately $600 million - even after the acquisition of the remainder of North Star BlueScope Steel at Delta, Ohio. CEO Paul O’Malley said the results were very pleasing and showed the huge strides we have all taken over the last 12 months. We’re on the right path towards a sustainable future. The formal release of full year audited results will occur on 22 August.
... AND CELEBRATING ANOTHER ICONIC 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY It was 31 May, 1966, when Anne Poremba began her career at Steelscape, at the time known as Reliance Steel & Aluminum. Anne started off as an Accountant and with time moved into a purchasing role, which is where she gained most of her industry knowledge. In 1974, she moved to the Rancho Cucamonga office where she answered the phone and did clerical work. Because the Sales Department was small, Anne started taking the overflow of calls from customers. One man she worked with asked her what she was doing and he basically stated, “this is a man’s world Anne, you can’t do that.” She continued to help out with the overflow of calls and got to know the customer base very well.
Anne went to her boss and told him that she wanted to be on the Order Desk permanently. She was told again that, “this was a man’s world.” She asked him to give her a chance and he told her that he would give her six months and if she didn’t do a good job, he would have to fire her. Anne said that, “It was fine with her, but if she did good, he would have to give her a raise and have it retroactive from the day she started and after the six months she wanted him to hand deliver her first paycheck.” Needless to say, Anne was very successful and was the first woman ever hired onto the Order Desk. She has been in Sales ever since and currently is the Senior Customer Service Representative in Rancho Cucamonga. Anne has an amazing history with our Company and it’s fascinating to hear her stories. In fact, Anne has been working on a book (memoirs) with the help of others titled, “As the Coils Turn.” She is on chapter 24! BlueScope is proud to have Anne as part of the team. She is a credit to herself, her team, her business and her Company. Congratulations on a terrific career to date!
WELCOME
At a function to honour Anne’s 50 year anniversary, Scott Cooley, Vice President of Sales for Steelscape said, ”I have known Anne for 14 years and I am blown away by her dedication to Steelscape and her customers. I think about all the change she has seen in the 50 years she has worked here and how she has been the one constant through it all. I know firsthand how much her customers love having Anne on their account, many of whom would launch a massive lobby if we ever shifted her to another account! It is nearly impossible today to find anyone, anywhere with the tenure Anne has in this business. It is truly an amazing accomplishment and I am proud to call Anne a co-worker and a friend.”
IN THIS ISSUE 02 BlueScope reputation in top 20 03 Innovation drives efficiency in BlueScope Buildings
06 Scholarship supports diversity in leadership 06 Developing a career – not always easy
03 A great new approach to safety audits
07 Safety coaching in China
04 The 50 days of COLORBOND® steel
07 NZ celebrates its apprentices