The importance of big business supporting smaller enterprises has never been more important than it is now.
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Business Illawarra executive director Adam Zarth said the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has created challenging conditions for many local businesses but there were many examples of larger companies continuing to inject money into the local community.
Mr Zarth said Business Illawarra was doing everything it can to support businesses through COVID and it was fantastic to see large businesses doing the same.
He said one company doing that was South32 - Illawarra Metallurgical Coal (IMC) which has spent more than than $244 million with local suppliers during the last financial year.
IMC sources everything from local piping and hoses to tyres and scaffolding, as well as technical and engineering services and Mr Zarth said that has helped support jobs and investment across the region.
He said IMC had a long history of sourcing products and services from local suppliers. And they in turn have helped support the production of metallurgical coal for the local steelmaking industry.
"At a time when local businesses are doing it tough, IMC's ongoing support is highly commendable," Mr Zarth said.
"Our region benefits significantly from the ongoing presence, operations and investment of South32, which is directly responsible for hundreds of jobs and helps power our local steelmaking industry and its supply chain."
IMC vice president operations Wayne Bull said the company not only employs 1800 people but supports many more jobs through the use of local suppliers. Among them is Integrity Pumps at Unanderra.
Integrity Pumps director Chris Smith said the business has worked with South32 for many years and was grateful for the ongoing support.
"Integrity Pumps has been a proudly owned and operated family business since 2004 and all of our 25 staff live and work locally in the Illawarra," he said.
"South32's business helps us support our own workforce and in turn we can support many other local Illawarra businesses."
Mr Smith said the relationship between Integrity Pumps and South32 was only growing stronger through the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
