b'A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWNdeal directly with the owners of a nimble andto quickly develop a quote for the steelwork. The Steel Construction Co, which ran a responsive company. Of course if they got the job, we got the job.beamline machine for cutting and drilling Barry worked hard to maintain those ties.As a result, Dixon & Haddon did a lot ofstructural sections.I often used to fall asleep with drawings laidwork for Downer, which offered a a backboneTo get ahead of the curve, Bob and Barry out before me, doing quoting and measuringof support to the growing company.would pinpoint jobs that were clashing and at home. Judy would find me stretched overgive Cyril the shop drawings with instructions the kitchen table the next morning. I knewCracking the million to cut and drill the steel. It would clear their that if I could win the job, Bob could get thedollar barrier workshop for other jobs, then arrive back job out. perfectly cut and drilled. The Downer relationship led to Dixon &If we got it back on a Friday, wed pay The Downer equation Haddons first million-dollar job, whichthe boys cash to work the weekend and was in support of the expansion of the Newfinish turning it out. It increased turnover Barry was something of a rainmaker in the Zealand Steel plant at Glenbrook. It wasimmensely, says Bob.early days of Dixon & Haddon. Always well during the Think Big era when the MuldoonThe Glenbrook job involved a lot ofconnected, his network included a keygovernment invested billions of dollars instraight beams with a lot of drilled holes,decision maker at engineering andindustrial infrastructure in a bid to stimulateso Cyrils beamline was put to good use.construction company Downer, Grahamthe economy.We couldnt have done that job by ourselves, Whitmore.Glenbrook was the making of us, sayssays Barry.The relationship started on shopping mallBob. The job took the better part of two yearsDixon & Haddon had proved itself onand warehouse projects, and it wasnt longand there were some who thought it was tooa big job and its performance didnt go before Downer started calling Barry to itsbig for Dixon & Haddon to tackle. But ourunnoticed. It opened up new opportunitiesoffices. If Downer had its eye on a job thatperformance was brilliant; we never missed for the company.involved steel, it called Barry. a date.Barry would arrive at 8.30 in the morning,Part of the companys success at Glenbrook where theyd throw some drawings at mecame back to its strategy of subcontracting and say they need a price for it by 11 oclock.work to smaller steel operators. One of thoseRight: Dixon & Haddons first million-dollar job was in support of the expansion of the Barry would work in one of Downers officesoperators was Cyril Baker and his business,New Zealand Steel plant at Glenbrook.34'