174 Business View Oceania - January/February 2017 In a milestone year for a local Blacktown company, Avant Constructions celebrates their forty year anniversary in the building of residential, commercial and industrial construction. Founded in 1976 by Angelo Aloi, Antonio D’Urso, Cosmo D’Urso and David Hall; Avant Constructions completed its’ first project of renovating a small Penrith laundry and from that point in time developed a company around key values of family, trust, quality and a client first mentality that has lasted over the decades and onto the future generations of staff and workers. Basing operations from Tattersall Road Blacktown from 1980, Avant Constructions developed divisions in Joinery and Metal Fabrications to complement its residential and commercial fit-out works, Avant was awarded its first large project with a fitout for Telstra in the 1990’s while at the same time completing builds such as the Aquilina Reserve Amenities Block, Plumpton Fire Station, Lisa Forest building at Blacktown Aquatic Centre and the Quakers Hill and Lalor Park Child Care Centres. These contributions and quality builds in the local area allowed Avant Constructions entry into select tender panels for the Department of Services, Endeavour Energy and Western Sydney University who Avant still maintain strong working relationships. After losing founding director, Cosmo D’Urso, in 2010 to a long time battle with cancer, Avant Constructions moved operations from Blacktown to Glendenning and went on to celebrate awards in 2013 for Excellence in Construction and in 2015 for Kitchen Manufacturer and Cabinetmaker of the Year from the Master Builders Association and Housing Institute of Australia respectively while obtaining accreditations in Safety, Environmental and Quality Management. Today, Angelo Aloi and Antonio D’Urso still head the organisation with the next generation of family members managing operations of the company’s construction, minor works and maintenance, joinery and cabinetmaking, in Signature Joinery and Design, and structural steel, in ABBA metal fabrication divisions. In 2017 Avant Constructions continues its work within the community and will initiate the build of the Blacktown NRL centre, a major infrastructure project that will bring youth development to the area.