SMALL TALK MERRY CHRISTMAS KENNARDS KENNARDS Hire employees have received an early Christmas present. The family-owned hire company presented 850 employees with a $3 million bonus, averaging over $4,600 per full-time employee. Kennards Hire Director Angus Kennard said the gift reflected the company’s better than expected success over the past twelve months, which was achieved through the hard work and dedication of their employees. Thanks a trillion is the third time the Kennard family has given company employees a significant bonus during the past decade. “Kennards Hire is lucky enough to have passionate employees who are willing to go the extra mile to satisfy our customers. They are the reason for our success,” he said. Now in its third generation of family ownership, Kennards Hire has been operating since 1948. The company now operates more than 120 general and specialist hire centres nationally, supplying renovators, professional tradesmen and the construction industry with a wide range of tools, vehicles and building services equipment.
BURBANK’S A WINNER
Encore Tissue’s Mark Holckner. Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
TISSUE TREAT
TIME FOR AWARDS
LAVERTON business Encore Tissue has won a savewater! award at 2011 National savewater! Awards held in Melbourne recently. Encore Tissue, a manufacturer of recycled tissue products, spent $800,000 to install a Kadant Petax Fine Filtration System, which removes fine particles from wastewater produced during the paper manufacturing process. By filtering the wastewater once it has been through the manufacturing process, it enables the water to be reused multiple times rather than being discharged as waste into the sewer system. Since the Kadant Petax system was commissioned early in 2010, water consumption at Encore Tissue has been reduced by over 40 per cent, with water savings of at least 131 million litres per year. The saving is equivalent to 66 Olympic sized swimming pools.
NOMINATIONS are open for the 2012 Melton Business Excellence Awards. Melton Shire Council is calling on all businesses in the shire to nominate in one of 12 categories, including retail, franchise, trade and construction and new and emerging. The 2012 Melton Business Excellence Awards Presentation Gala will be held at Witchmount Estate Winery on 27 April, and will feature entertainment by Rusty and Another Guy, featuring Rusty Rich, formerly of Scared Weird Little Guys. Nominations for the 2012 Melton Business Excellence Awards close 5pm on 17 February 2012. For further information contact the council’s Economic Development unit on 9747 7200 or email businessevents@melton.vic.gov.au
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BUSINESS WEST
THE Burbank Group has added yet another honour to its repertoire by taking out Best Display Home $350,000 - $450,000 award for its Forrester 4300 home at the HIA-CSR Victorian Housing and Kitchen and Bathroom Awards. The two-storey Forrester 4300 is from Burbank’s seven-star Future Collection and, at 43 squares, is popular among large or integrated families who crave their own space. “Our Forrester 4300, on display at Williams Landing Estate, offers a stunning floor plan across two levels,” Burbank managing director Jarrod Sanfilippo said. “The striking feature staircase acts as a centrepiece on the ground floor, partitioning the kitchen and meals area and main living area. “Above the living area, a large voided ceiling provides a magnificent contrast to the adjacent drop ceiling of the kitchen, creating a spectacular sense of heightened space.” The award, which recognises the achievements of leaders in design, construction, innovation and technology of housing, is yet another feather in Burbank’s cap who, with three decades of experience and counting, continues to deliver innovative, quality and award-winning products.