b'R AB E HT G N I S I A RGlobal financial crisisProgress on the new factory was going well. Then the global financial crisis (GFC) hit, just as the floor to the workshop was about ready to pour. The impact of the 1987 share market crash paled in comparison to the GFC and its a period Mike would like to block out. The GFC choked us for about six years. There was still work but everyone was cutting the bones out of everything and we just werent making any money. At the same time, D&H Steel was committed to a massive capital expenditure programme. The team had to decide on its next move. It chose to push ahead with the new facility. People looked at us probably aIt came down to survival. D&H tightlywhile it didnt make money, it didnt lose little sideways and wondered why we weremonitored its costs and targeted volume inmoney during that period. Wayne credits part investing in a big building during a marketlieu of high-return jobs. We took just aboutof that outcome to the strong relationships crash, says Wayne.everything that was going, remembers Dean.D&H had developed with key contractors. The rationale was that D&H wouldI dont think I ever finished a job in the firstAccess to Mike and Waynes Clearwater be fighting fit when it emerged from thethree years. A crew of boilermakers wouldConstruction network opened up new doors downturn. It turned out to be a masterstrokefollow behind to close out the job for uswith some of the main contractors of the day, because it allowed us to bed in our processesbecause we didnt have time to. including Mainzeal, Fletcher, Macrenniewhen the market was somewhat subdued,D&H survived the GFC relatively well. and Federal.says Mike. The company kept everyone employed and, 87'