02 4961 6822
Client Login

History

Left to right: Terry, Allan, Brian
Left to right: Terry, Allan, Brian

1980

  • 3 brothers, Allan, Terry and Brian, commence odd jobs on weekends and after hours.

1981 – 82

  • In 1981 the odd jobs grew to a point where there was enough work for a small business to commence with Brian the first to start full time.
  • Later this year the brothers won their first big contract which was $12,000.00 for a pipe job at Kooragang Island. This was enough to trigger Terry to commence working full time and ATB Morton was born.
  • Allan joined the business full time in 1982.
  • After working out of each of their garages for some time, they secured sufficient work to lease their first workshop in Wickham in 1982. The workshop allowed Terry to commence automotive and truck repairs while Brian and Allan focussed on engineering and labouring on construction sites.
First Workshop that we leased in Wickham
Terry focussed on automotive and truck repairs and assembly
Brian and Allan engaged in engineering work
First Workshop that we leased in Wickham
Early civil works completed by the newly formed ATB Morton Civil Division
We now had an office alongside our workshop in Wickham.
Early civil works completed by the newly formed ATB Morton Civil Division

1985 – 86

  • The size and type of work that the brothers were approached to do continued to expand to the point that in 1985 ATB Morton had 15 employees and we were also able to purchase our Wickham Workshop. We also purchased our first computer system at this time, the IBM386
  • We purchased a neighbouring property in Wickham which became our offices. We also commenced our civil division.

1987

  • Number of employees grew to 60 with ongoing contracts at Darling Harbour in Sydney and the new Parliament House in Canberra. 
  • We outgrew our Wickham workshop and purchased a site at Gateshead. 
  • Due to the continued growth within our engineering and construction projects, we decided to shut the doors on the Automotive business.
Left to right: Darling Harbour Fountain works, Parliament House contract

New workshop in Gateshead
Left to right: Darling Harbour Fountain works, Parliament House contract

New Workshop construction behind the existing Gateshead facilities
New Workshop construction behind the existing Gateshead facilities

1988 – 90

  • The number of employees grew to 120 without sufficient controls and processes in place.
  • In late 1989 many of our large contracts came to an end and due to some poor management decisions we had our first major finical loss in the 1989/90 financial year.
  • Construction commenced of our new Workshop on our Gateshead site.

1991

  • Dramatic reduction in the number of employees and a change in business direction with a focus on getting back to basics.
  • In late 1991 we completed our workshop and we received an offer to lease it which was too good to refuse. We then moved into a leased facility in Gateshead. 
  • At this time, we came to the realisation that our future lay in Industrial Buildings
Leased facility in Gateshead where we stayed for 2 years.

It was during this time, that we realised our future was in Industrial Buildings not too dissimilar to this one.
Leased facility in Gateshead where we stayed for 2 years.

Islington facility where we based ourselves for the next 14 years.
Islington facility where we based ourselves for the next 14 years.

1993

  • Shifted focus to the construction of Industrial Buildings. 
  • Bought and moved into a workshop in Islington.

1995

  • By this time, we were fully focused on Industrial Buildings and we completed our last major Engineering Project. 
  • Our Precast Panel Facility, now known as CIA Precast and Steel, commenced operations
  • This year also marked our entry into Property Development
Some of the first precast panels manufactured by ATB Morton, now known as CIA Precast and Steel
Some of the first precast panels manufactured by ATB Morton, now known as CIA Precast and Steel
Hunter Galvanizing commenced operations with one plant in Tomago
Hunter Galvanizing commenced operations with one plant in Tomago

1999

  • An opportunity arose in the marketplace for us to open a Hot Dip Galvanising Facility, Hunter Galvanizing, which saw the new facility in operation by early 2000.

2001

  • Another opportunity for the brothers to expand their offerings with plans put in place to start up a Concrete Batching Plant, now known as Redicrete, and by 2002 we were in operation at Cameron Park.
The first of what would become 3 Redicrete Concrete Batching Plants
The first of what would become 3 Redicrete Concrete Batching Plants
CIA Precast and Steel, Precast Division, moves to a larger production shed in Tomago. The Steel division of this business is still part of ATB Morton at this stage and remained at the Islington facility.
CIA Precast and Steel, Precast Division, moves to a larger production shed in Tomago. The Steel division of this business is still part of ATB Morton at this stage and remained at the Islington facility.

2002

  • The growth and expansion of CIA Precast and Steel required this division to move to a larger site in Tomago which enabled panels to be made not only for ATB Morton but for other builders also.

2003

  • Hunter Galvanizing expanded to 2 separate plants to facilitate the growth of the business and increased demand for the service.
The second Hunter Galvanizing Plant is established behind the first to allow for maximum production efficiencies
The second Hunter Galvanizing Plant is established behind the first to allow for maximum production efficiencies
ATB’s new office and workshop within the Tomago Speedway Industrial Park
ATB’s new office and workshop within the Tomago Speedway Industrial Park

2004 – 08

  • Redicrete at Cameron Park was operating at capacity leading to the opening of a second plant at Tomago
  • In 2006 ATB Morton was operating at full capacity within the workshop and office space at the Islington location. 
  • During this year one our tenants moved out of one of our buildings at Tomago and we decided to move our Steel Fabrication shop and ATB offices into the building. 
  • 2006 saw our third Redicrete concrete batching plant open at Berkley Vale
  • It wasn’t until 2007 that we proceeded with the move to Tomago.
  • GFC hit and while the impact was immediate we managed to work our way through the worst of it and come out even stronger with all the businesses intact and an expanded property portfolio.

2016

  • Opened our Sand Quarry, Redisand, which had taken 7 years to work through the approval process. 
  • 2016 also seen the peak of the Property Portfolio
Redisand opens in Salt Ash, after 7 years in the making.
Redisand opens in Salt Ash, after 7 years in the making.
Advanciv products start selling
Advanciv products start selling

2017 – 19

  • We went through a period of consolidation across the already established ATB Morton Group with our new Civil precast business, Advanciv, starting to sell product in 2019

2021

  • Celebrating 40 years of hard earned lessons of both hardship and successes in the construction industry with our focus on each business division growing stronger each and every day
ATB turns 40
ATB turns 40
Menu