CHALLENGING TIMES: Bruck Textiles chief executive officer Alan Williamson said this year marks the start of “the decade that counts”.

But CEO optimistic about how company will cope

Written by SIMONE KERWIN.

BRUCK Textiles chief executive officer Alan Williamson is taking a "cautious" approach to 2010.

After a year in which staff agreed to reduce their working hours for a time to help the company weather the economic climate of 2009, Mr Williamson said Bruck was now in a better position.

"We are very realistic here; business is bloody tough," he said.

"Instead of looking six months down the order book, we are looking three months ahead, which is a very tight timeframe," he said.

"We have to be on our game all the time."

Mr Williamson said he had some concerns entering 2010.

"The dollar is at damagingly high levels; it is fortunate this company is in a position where it can surf that wave," he said.

"Fuel prices are as high as they have been for six months, and the fact of the matter is it’s an expensive item when you manufacture in the bush."

Mr Williamson said there was some genuine support for Bruck at federal level.

"That goes across party boundaries, and is also present at the more senior levels in defence, which remains vitally important to this company," he said.

However, he said there was "some very un-Australian conduct going on among opportunistic manufacturers".

"They lack the commitment to employ in Australia, and are looking to make a quick buck out of the strong dollar, cheap labor, and some flaws in the government procurement policy," he said.