IN 1994, 26-year-old Moree boilermaker Donald Devney set about establishing his own welding and fabrication business.

At the time, Moree – and the rest of eastern Australia – was experiencing one of the worst droughts in history.

Mr Devney hitched his strides, tightened his belt a couple of notches, and figured the time was right.

He swung back the doors to his new Industrial Drive enterprise and waited for customers.

Thirty-one years’ later, Mr Devney’s company, DD’s Engineering & Fabrication, employs up to 15 full-time staff and services all aspects of the farming and agriculture sectors, as well as government and domestic sectors, across much of eastern Australia.

The company lists irrigation and broadacre agribusiness clients throughout north-western New South Wales and south-central Queensland, but no job is too small, Mr Devney says.

“Every job is important to us, and every client is important to us,” he said.

DD’s quickly outgrew the site at Industrial Drive and now covers more than 20 acres on the Inverell Road, about two kilometres east of Moree.

Mr Devney needed more space, and then some.

Low-loaders and flat-bed trailers arrive and leave the Gwydir Highway site regularly, laden with irrigation pipework and completed projects destined for all corners of eastern Australia.

Through sheer work and determination, Mr Devney crossed many hurdles and quite a few dry gullies to get his family-owned and operated business to where it is today.

Along the way, there’s been a lot of sweat, and quite a few tears.

“It was hard-going for a long time, but I’m lucky to have good staff and a supportive family, who have helped get DD’s to where it is,” Mr Devney said.

The company is now an established service provider of choice to owners, developers and clients – a multi-faceted firm with an eye for detail and customer focus.

DD’s Engineering & Fabrication provides a complete in-house manufacturing service, and undertakes every stage of production from concept to completion.

“Our commitment ensures projects, large and small, are delivered on time and on budget,” Mr Devney said.

DD’s specialises in irrigation pump stations, structural steel and aluminium, stainless steel, axle flow pumps, bore pumps and mix-flow pumps as well as agriculture irrigation and water management.

All types of steel are available for sale in large or small quantities.

“We sell a large range of steel to suit all types of jobs,” Mr Devney said.

DD’s is the Moree and district distributor for domestic and commercial Supagas supplies as well as the exclusive agent for shed specialists, Fair Dinkum Builds.

“Supagas has a wide range of gas and gas-related products,” Mr Devney said.

These include LPG for forklifts, and heating and domestic purposes, as well as industrial gases and welding gas blends.

“Supagas also offers food grade CO2 – carbon dioxide – for the hospitality market,” Mr Devney said.

Fair Dinkum Builds is a leading distributor of residential garages and carports, barns, farm sheds, and industrial and commercial buildings.

“All buildings are fully engineered to accommodate the region where they will be built, and standard plans can be supplied within a few minutes,” Mr Devney said.

DD’s Engineering & Fabrication also has employment opportunities.

To enquire about working at DD’s, send a cover letter and CV to: [email protected].

“We quite often have job opportunities, so I encourage qualified tradespeople or those looking to get into the industry or enquire about apprenticeships to send in their resumes,” Mr Devney said.

DD’s Engineering & Fabrication

Address: 20516 Gwydir Highway (Inverell Road) Moree, NSW, 2400

Hours: Monday to Friday from 7am-5pm; Saturday from 7am-midday

Phone: 6752 6274

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ddsengineering.com.au

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