Political pledges have bolstered the fight to save Australian steelmaking but campaigners warn the industry crisis is far from over.
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The woes facing contractors – like Port Kembla-based engineering and construction company Mainteck Pty Ltd – are still lurking, steel advocate Ian Waters says.
Later this month, Mainteck will cease operations at its Flinders Street site after 42 years of service to the steel industry.
The company had about 100 permanent employees when it first called for redundancies earlier this year.
It now has 26 staff, all of whom will leave the business prior to June 30.
Mainteck managing director Rory McNeill said the closure of the company was not the result of financial failure.
“This decision has been reached taking into consideration the present and predicted market conditions and our potential future work pipeline, all of which could not sustain the operation in its current market or form,” Mr McNeill said.
The company was BlueScope’s Blast Furnace reline “contractor of choice”.
Mr Waters, a project engineer at K&R Fabrications, said Mainteck was just one example of “the negative impact of the crisis in the steel industry”.
“That company had incredible capability; [they were] about the only company around that could do blast furnace relines and other major tasks,” he said.
Mainteck Services Pty Ltd, at Fairy Meadow, will continue to operate as normal.