The brightest talents from Victoria and Tasmania’s welding sectors were honoured at the 2024 Welding Excellence Awards, hosted by Weld Australia at the Crowne Plaza.
Geoff Crittenden, CEO of Weld Australia, praised the winners for their dedication to advancing welding through quality, safety, and innovation.
“The 2024 Welding Excellence Awards showcase the exceptional talent of welders and fabricators across Victoria and Tasmania,” Crittenden said.
“We are excited to honour both individuals and businesses who are driving advancements in welding through their commitment to quality, safety, and innovation.”
Hanlon Industries was named 2024 Company of the Year – Fabrication for Victoria. Known for its steel fabrication expertise in sectors like road and rail, Hanlon is also celebrated for its apprenticeship programs and community engagement.
In Tasmania, the Jayben Group won the same award for its powertrain products and industrial equipment.
The Project of the Year Awards went to ACCIONA for their work on PPG’s Plant C manufacturing facility in Clayton, Victoria, and Crisp Bros & Haywards for their role in the Fyans Street rail bridge project in Tasmania.
The 2024 Health and Safety in Welding Award was presented to Structural Challenge for its commitment to maintaining a safe work environment, while Migomag Welding Supplies was recognised as the top welding supplier.
Training excellence was also acknowledged, with Chisholm TAFE winning the Training and Education – Organisation Award for Victoria, and TasTAFE taking the same honour for Tasmania.
Individual awards included the Welding Professional of the Year titles, with Krishna Annapureddy, Brett Sutton, Joel Sibraa, and Matthew Swinden each earning top honours.
Iesha Swan, a rising star from Hanlon Industries, was named Young Trades Person of the Year, while Farokh Banihashemi from Shadbolt Group was named Trades Person of the Year for his exceptional skills in welding across multiple industries.