Despite a few setbacks, the Bhullar Group is set to officially resume their business in Narrandera next month, promising more job opportunities for the town.

The group, which specialises in metals and steel, welded beams, pre-fabricated steel and steel processing, also delivers highly skilled labour to the Australian industry through the Bhullar Industrial Training Division.

According to General Manager Michael Bhullar, establishing operations in Narrandera will benefit both the business and the community.

“Apart from the jobs and opportunities that we are currently advertising for the production facility, it would still be opening up other opportunities because there are other trades that we will be employing which are not directly related to our current core business,” he said.

“It will be aligned with other construction that we are undertaking such as concreters and other civil engineering workers so it gives those workers a good 12 months to a year and a half worth of work.”

The company will relocate from Sydney to Narrandera’s Red Hill Industrial Estate, which will become their new base of operations.

Narrandera was chosen for its strategic location, central to major cities like Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Last year, Bhullar Group announced plans to develop workshops on seven hectares of land with an additional 3.5 hectares reserved for future expansion.

The first phase of development will include the construction of four workshops, totalling 15,000 square metres.

The group is also exploring opportunities in the renewable energy sector for next year, a move that could potentially double their workforce if successful.

Job opportunities will gradually become available as the group establishes itself in Narrandera, with the aim of employing up to 50 new workers once the first phase of development is complete.

Currently, four locals are already working in the temporary workshop.

According to Mr Bhullar, they were scheduled to finish the first phase by next month but have had a change in plans.

“We’ve had some challenges because of the location and finding the contractors to undertake the work,” he said.

“As a result, we are behind in our schedules and therefore we made a decision to build a temporary workshop, which we are doing right now as we speak, so that we can manage the rest of the construction ourselves rather than self contracting it to other contractors.”

Despite the challenges, Mr. Bhullar is confident that the temporary workshop will meet their needs for now so they can resume production.

“We will officially be resuming our fabrication works in the long run by mid-May using the temporary workshop. However, when I say temporary, it is still a 100 metres long workshop and will be substantial,” he said.

“About two weeks ago we commenced relocating our equipment and other materials to Narrandera and then we will start commissioning production equipment in about a fortnight and then obviously resume production out in Narrandera in mid-May.”

The Bhullar Group hopes to make their hub in Narrandera their main and only location, where all manufacturing and distribution will happen.

Mr Bhullar will be in charge of operations within Narrandera and will be relocating once operations are up and running. 

This article appeared in the Narrandera Argus, 2 May 2024.