Bundaberg business Berajondo Earthmoving and Haulage has been awarded the tender for the construction of a taxiway at the Bundaberg Regional Aviation and Aerospace Precinct (BRAAP).
It’s one of four projects worth more than $8 million that the local contractor has successfully applied for this financial year.
Berajondo managing director Sal Bonanno said the company was proud to work on the project, which holds regional significance.
“What we do for the airport is we are the interface between the Royal Flying Doctor Service [and RACQ Lifeflight facility] and the airstrip to allow them to fly planes into their facility,” Sal said.
The taxiway is the final component of stage three of the project, with Berajondo also awarded earlier work in this stage to subdivide allotments.
The company is also working on the Hughes Road roundabout at Bargara and will undertake the 2019-20 road rehabilitation program.
“We’re actually just starting the rehabilitation job tomorrow where we are doing the road stabilising package,” Sal said.
“We’ll start at Buxton and work our way through [the package].”
Sal said Berajondo was established in Bundaberg in 1986, specialising in land clearing.
Since then the company has diversified and Sal said they did “pretty much everything” now.
“Over the last 20 years we’ve expanded in to other parts.”
He said winning Council contracts was beneficial for the company and its staff.
“Basically it means security of work and employment for all of our full-time employees,” he said.
“It means we can employ more people and upskill them.
“We’ve got at least three young fellas we’ve started over the last 12 months.
“We’ve got to have jobs to keep them employed.
“They’re not skilled workers at this point but that’s what we’re working towards is upskilling.”
Council contracts offer job security
Sal said it was important to have the security that big contracts offered.
“It’s an industry that's quite volatile and if you haven’t got security of work you lose skilled people,” he said.
“It protects our future, we’ve made a big investment in equipment.
“Moving forward it means we can continue to operate properly.”
The benefits for the local community don’t stop with Berajondo.
“We employ all local people and use all local companies,” Sal said.
“We try to get everything local, all the local businesses we deal with them.
“I think that’s a very important part.”
