BSL wins Australian Institute of Management Excellence Awards for Queensland

GeneralManager for Boyne Smelters Ltd (BSL) Joe Rea has won the Manager of the Year category for Queensland at the Australian Institute of Management Excellence Awards 2015, held on Friday evening, 11 September at Customs House in Brisbane.

The shortlisting process saw Joe interviewed by a panel of business leaders and senior executives to become a finalist and then a category winner for Queensland.

Competing against 24 other regional finalists from a diverse range of industries including Heritage Bank, TAFE, Repco, Mackay Airport and North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation, Joe was selected for leading his workforce on a transformation journey to improve BSL’s international competitiveness.

“It was a genuine surprise and honour to win. Considering the calibre of the leaders I was up against, I was very humbled to accept the award,” Joe said.

Over the past three years, Joe has led Australia’s largest aluminium smelter, BSL through a transformation journey to improve its productivity and international competitiveness in order to survive unpredictable market conditions.

He and his workforce have achieved operational cost reductions nearing $100 million, requiring difficult decisions around workforce reductions, production curtailment and site investment against a now six-year low for aluminium prices. In the same climate, Joe has led BSL to achieve a period of 365 consecutive safe days, the best result ever achieved at the operation since it opened in 1981.

“My passion is about adding value to Australian resources. We can all very easily take for granted what we have in Australia. However; with the closure of two of the six smelters in Australia in the past three years, and with most car manufacturing leaving our shores, I want to do everything I can to retain manufacturing in Australia, especially for the future of our youth,” Joe said.

“It’s about being proudly Australian and defending our way of life and never taking it for granted.

Unless my workforce takes that Australian pride into every shift, unless each of us operates this place like we own it, unless we truly believe in the goal of zero harm and to improve in every shift, we’re not going to be here for long. You can’t have pride if you send people home hurt or if you harm the environment. These are the things I’m passionate about—taking pride in your work and adding value to Australian society.”

The aluminium industry has faced unprecedented market challenges over the past four years. The high Australian dollar, weak global aluminium prices, growth of the Chinese aluminium sector, high labour costs in Australia, increased raw material and capital costs, as well as high energy costs have all placed pressure on the long-term outlook of manufacturing.

“We are ever-mindful of the challenges to run this business leaner and more cost-focused than we have ever run it before. We have had numerous drives to reduce our controllable costs, with many initiatives implemented while we also make progress to fundamentally change the way we do business,” Joe said.

“I feel our people have never been more proud to come to work. Generations of families have been employed at the smelter and their contributions to BSL in adding value to Australian natural resources help make us a great Australian story.”

Pacific Aluminium CEO and President Bruce Cox congratulated Joe: “It comes as no surprise to me that Joe won Manager of the Year for Queensland. He is a true leader among his peers. He leads by example and uses his personal passion to bring BSL together to achieve great results.”

“Joe intimately understands what motivates and drives people and he uses his teams to drive results. He expects nothing of anyone that he does not expect doubly of himself. He very much deserves this award.”

Joe will now progress to the national finals with the category winners to be announced on 16 October at the Peninsula Docklands in Melbourne.