Kenworth manufacturer wins recognition for skills development among employees, suppliers and dealer network
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Paccar Australia operations director Tom Cooper (third from left), managing director Andrew Hadjikakou (fourth from left) and HR Robert Brierley(far right) join other Paccar employees at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards.
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Paccar Australia has won a Victorian government award for its workforce training and leadership programs, the third time the company has been recognised for its work in the area.
The award was for Leadership in Workforce Skills at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards held last week, which Paccar managing director Andrew Hadjikakou says is “gratifying”.
“We are immensely proud of our long history of manufacturing Kenworth trucks in Australia and the work we are undertaking to secure our position as the pre-eminent truck manufacturer in the country with a highly skilled workforce,” he adds.
Paccar says the award recognises its investment in the skills development of its employees, suppliers and the dealer network associated with designing, manufacturing and providing aftermarket support to the Kenworth T610.
The company, which directly employs more than 1,100 people, was inducted into the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame in 2012 and recently recorded the milestone of manufacturing 60,000 Kenworth trucks in Australia, at its Melbourne base.
Hadjkakou notes that Victorian manufacturing had grown for the past 15 consecutive months, saying Paccar was “so proud to be part of that progress.”
“Production of Kenworth trucks continues to increase and, with our announcement at the end of last year that assembly of DAFs will commence in the third quarter at our Bayswater Production Facility, we are optimistic this will contribute to further growth in the state, and the country,” he says.
Also recognised in the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards, presented by state industry minister Ben Carroll, was train and tram builder Bombardier Transportation Australia and Bosch Australia, which won the manufacturer of the year (large business) award.