By Marcus Uhe
Melanie Aldis has described CFM Air Conditioning winning 2022 Casey Business of the Year at last week’s Casey Business Awards as the highlight of her professional career.
The managing director who started the business 25 years ago in Hallam accepted the award, along with the Employment Category award, at a function held at Bunjil Place on Thursday 10 November with a number of colleagues.
Ms Aldis said she was struggling to find the words to describe her satisfaction and sense of accomplishment, even a few days after the ceremony.
“It’s the biggest personal achievement of my life,” Ms Aldis said.
“Nothing could top it.”
The heating ventilation and cooling business was a finalist for the 2021 Business of the Year but fell short of winning the top crown.
Rather than lament not winning the top prize, Ms Aldis viewed it as a sign of being on the right track in the context of how they made the most of a difficult period during the pandemic, having upgraded their technology, environmental and Occupational Health and Safety standards in order to improve their quality management systems.
The business also made the strategic decision to invest in their future, with the hopes to avoid a shortfall in skills and labour that has befallen the industry.
“In the last 12 months we signed up six first-year apprentices as air conditioning and refrigeration technicians,” Ms Aldis said.
“It’s a four-year course and their first year.
“One of them is a female and she’s absolutely smashing it.”
Being a female in a largely male-dominated industry, Ms Aldis took pride in highlighting her female apprentice, and hopes that her success can be an inspiration for other women.
In fact, she believes their diversity and their welcoming culture was critical in both winning the Business of the Year and the Employment award.
“Our youngest employee is 16 and our oldest is 72.
“When the judges came to interview us they got a warm welcome and they would have felt it was a harmonious workplace.
“Everyone at CFM loves coming to work; we’re all on the same mission, we’re all well supported, and we have regular toolbox meetings.”
In addition, 65 per cent of ACM employees reside in the City of Casey.
City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff PSM was thrilled that CFM Air Conditioning’s investments into their staff are paying off.
“Among a field of high-achieving local businesses, CFM Air Conditioning stood out to the judges for their innovation through adversity by promoting from within, investing in their team’s skills and rewarding those whose workload had increased,” Ms Duff said.
“The judges were also incredibly impressed to see a business with a female CEO thriving in a traditionally male dominated industry.
“It’s an inspiring example of how crucial your staff members are to the success of any organisation and how sound investments into their advancement and wellbeing can return ten-fold.”
