The Principal of A.T.C.S. (N.S.W.) Mr. Ian Fulford has some 2400 members who employ approximately 45,000 staff along the east coast of N.S.W. with a similar number of members in Queensland.
Head office is in the M.L.C. Centre Martin Place, Sydney. Tradespeople and Subcontractors in the Illawarra are represented by Ralph Dixon an advocate of A.T.C.S. (N.S.W.)
Ian says “Any issue concerning our membership base simply requires the member to phone us and one of our competent specialists will deal directly with our members issue/s.”
Formed with the support of the larger subcontractors to the building and construction industry, ATCS is, according to Ian, “an advocacy, lobby and representative organisation that offers an effective range of services to its members.”
He believes that progressive actions taken in the last 10 years has seen A.T.C.S. develop into one of the leading advocacy organisations in Australia.
For the past three years Ian has served on the A.T.O. Building and Construction Forum, is a Ministerial Appointee of the Attorney General and the Community Justice Dept.
Prior to Ian taking over his role in the A.T.C.S. as Principal his predecessor Chris White, along with other interest groups lobbied for the Security of Payments Act (1999) and its revision in 2002. “The Act was introduced in Queensland in 2003 thanks to years of hard work by several A.T.C.S. advocates for ‘Subbies’he says.
He also points out that A.T.C.S has also been involved in several other representations regarding Consultancy to the Building and Construction Industry including the Joint Federal Senate enquiry to establish solutions handed down by the recommendations of the Cole Royal Commission.
Ian Fulford, along with the C.F.M.E.U.’s National Secretary John Sutton and industry leaders, also contributed to the establishment of the “Building and Construction Industry Improvement Bill Gazette in 2005.”
As he explains quite simply A.T.C.S. (NSW) provides contemporary information to its members ensuring subbies and tradespeople in the industry are protected and are compliant in terms of statutory requirements and industry standards.
Just as importantly, Ian says, the “A.T.C.S. (NSW) represents small business in the same manner as its major members. “We work on a percentage basis for members only -no win no fee basis”, he says.
“For example, we have represented members with issue as diverse as the Office of State Revenue, major banking organisations and Statutory Authorities such as the E.P.A, D.E.C, R.T.A,. A.S.I.C. Workcover, Workers Compensation Commission, Industrial Relations Commission and many of the largest Building organisations and developers in Australia “, Ian says.
“Other typical types of representation relate to our actions against corrupt builders and developers, legal and accounting issues, Company restructures, fatalities and serious injury and significant property damage and near miss incidents in the workplace, workers compensation, rehabilitation and returning injured workers back to pre-injury duties” he says with some pride.
One thing that concerns Ian and his organisation is that they’ve found that as many as 90 per cent of their members have at one time or another received poor financial advice. Examples include.g. asset protection, one Director and Shareholder Companies. proactive accounting strategies to reduce company on costs and the cost of running company vehicles at a fraction of the outlay that some non members are paying.
Fortunately, he suggests, A.T.C.S. (NSW) has the expertise to give the right advice and representation to its members, which can also include cost effective strategies as needed against major developers, financial institutions and any other sector or individual acting unreasonably or deception against our members.
“By pushing the agenda on a range of matters we have been able to achieve significant outcomes for our members on at least 90 per cent of actions taken and in most cases without proceeding to court or seeking external legal opinion and council”, Ian says.
Interesting background
Born in Kempsey on the North Coast of NSW and educated at Kempsey Grammar Ian moved to Sydney with his family to access opportunities in the big city.
Ian also won titles in athletics and boxing and his father Keith trained Justin Rowsel, who won boxing medals at two World championships and held the National amateur and professional boxing titles. He also trained a young Hector Thompson who went on to fight for a world title.
Ian has two degrees from U.T.S. in Education and several Business qualifications. Community awards include Rotary Youth Leadership Award, (R.Y.L.A.) and a State Government Youth Award (Y.I.P)
He joined the banking world and it was in this role that he became acquainted with corporate matters, property and mortgages, I.T. and business structures and economic issues, and it was then he decided to study, work and acquire a business broker’s licence and to also gain his real estate licence.
This was followed by property purchases and the development of a sizable portfolio which included an investment as a partner in three storage facilities.
His companies Sydney Storage and Self Storage Solutions specialize in long term low cost storage. For example, he says, an average four bedroom home of contents or 55m3 can be stored for 12 months at $150.00 per month G.S.T. inclusive!
Ian, who lives in the “peace and bliss” of Cordeaux Heights with his lovely wife and their two fabulous children would not move from Wollongong.
“We cannot think of any where else we would prefer to live” said Ian, who has now been with A.T.C.S. for five years, and thoroughly enjoys his challenging role.
A pet project
Then there’s his pet project, the design and construction of a fully electric car envisaged to be capable of speeds in excess of 270 kph.
He says the fundamental research for the project has been completed and work is about to start on a prototype model and, with the assistance of an American partner, we could see a prototype vehicle on the road for testing in early 2009.
Ian is also currently investigating the feasibility of locating this project at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus.
Currently the U.O.W. is also working in collaboration with Monash University in Victoria to get the best utilisation of available cutting edge research, and although access to certain aspects of the project is available in Australia, Ian says “there is still a lack of information to certain high tech knowledge.”
The Innovation Campus U.O.W. can address this major impediment regarding access to high technology information. “Until now, that is why we have had to source certain overseas technologies,” he says.
If you think you might need advice relating to the building and construction industry or related company services, Ian can be contacted by phone or email on 0427152625 or ifulford@bigpond.com. | 
