Rick Casagrande - Hotweld Fabrication

Title: Director

Business: Fabrication

Total employees: 10

Reporting directly: 10

Accomplishments

With little backing, 25-year-old Rick Casagrande established Hotweld Fabrication three years ago. With no equipment, minimal capital and no office space, Mr Casagrande took the challenge, confident that there was increasing demand and relatively few players in the fabrication sector.

With the help of a former employer, he managed to establish the business after a year. Hotweld Fabrication now employs 10 staff and has international clients.

Recently identifying a gap in a different market, Mr Casagrande diversified his activity into the hiring out of cranes by creating the business NoLimit, which is experiencing high demands.

Career guides

• The ability to acknowledge gaps in the market place and to have the initiative and the skills to take the opportunity.

• To believe in employees and promote job satisfaction; happy employees will be motivated to work hard and do the best they can.

Personal/community

Mr Casagrande completed a certificate of trade studies at South West regional TAFE in metal fabrication and welding. He won the Italian apprentice of the Year in 2001, the 2006 Business Development Award for the South West small business category, and was in the final three in the 2006 Telstra Small Business Award.

Currently, Mr Casagrande sponsors a local go-karting champion, the Hay Park United soccer team and performers from the Top Jazz Ballet.

Top tips

“Don’t think about it, just get on with it! Never give up – persistence pays off.”