New customer service centre in Australia

Today BlueScope has reaffirmed its commitment to local manufacturing with the formal opening of a Customer Service Centre at the Company’s Western Port Works in Hastings, Victoria. 

“This new facility, with capacity in excess of 100,000 tonnes per annum, consolidates BlueScope’s steel processing capabilities in Victoria on one site, using the latest technology and with a clear focus on our customers, safety and the welfare of our people,” said Mr Mark Vassella, BlueScope Managing Director & CEO, who was joined at the opening ceremony by (pictured below) the Hon Greg Hunt, Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, and the Hon Melissa Horne, Victorian Minister for Ports and Freight; Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation; and Minister for Fishing and Boating.

The $34 million new facility sits alongside the Western Port site’s COLORBOND® steel manufacturing plant where BlueScope produces more than one million tonnes per annum of this iconic branded product, and from where the Company exports more than 200,000 tonnes for international markets annually.

“The Customer Service Centre IT infrastructure includes an automated slitting head build robot which is the first of its kind in Australia.

“The robot automatically constructs a slitting cutting head to individual customer requirements without manual intervention from operators or other tradespeople, thus removing the risk of error, greatly speeding up the process of building a new head and enabling a more efficient operation to better serve customers.  It also helps keep BlueScope people safe at work by eliminating manual handling and other safety risks.

“The opening of the Customer Service Centre is another investment by BlueScope in enhancing Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability.  Recent and current global events have amply demonstrated the importance of local manufacturing for essential products, such as the steel that supplies Australia’s building and construction, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.

“The Customer Service Centre employs approximately 30 employees, most of them new to BlueScope, local to the Mornington Peninsula, and who bring with them a variety of industry experience to a new career where they will enjoy flexible working arrangements and working with high levels of automation.  

“Our investment in this Customer Service Centre at Western Port is another demonstration of BlueScope living Our Purpose:  to create and inspire smart solutions in steel, to strengthen our communities for the future,” Mr Vassella concluded.