STAFF at Glenray Industries are set to be occupying their old site again by the end of January, 2019.
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Glenray’s commercial laundry, located on the corner of Browning and Stewart streets, was devastated by fire during the early hours of May 5.
No one was hurt in the blaze, but the building could not be saved and all of the expensive new equipment that had been installed a few months earlier was lost.
Since the fire, staff members, including those in supported employment, have been operating from the former St Catherine’s Nursing Home site, that was generously offered to Glenray by the Catholic Diocese of Bathurst.
A development application to rebuild the laundry was lodged with Bathurst Regional Council on July 16, and by mid-September the demolition phase was complete, allowing for construction to start.
The tender was won by local businesses Brett Moulds Design and Drafting and Inland Building and Construction.
Glenray’s manager of People and Culture, Craig Shiel, said construction was on track for the building to be complete by the end of 2018.
“They finished laying the slab work last week and production is underway for the steel framework,” he said.
“We’re still planning to have our lock-up stage for mid-December.”
The new equipment that has been ordered should have arrive before construction is complete and it can then be installed.
“All the equipment was lost in the fire, so we’ve got new washers, driers and ironers coming from Spain,” Mr Shiel said.
“It’s all state-of-the-art, highly efficient, eco-friendly equipment and it will increase our efficiency.”
Glenray’s staff are looking forward to getting back to work at the old site, Mr Shiel said, and he thanked everyone who stuck with Glenray despite the disruption that the fire caused.
“Our customers have been very patient with us and have been very helpful since the fire,” he said.