De Jong & Sons | UCI Joinery | Being Studio

The company history

Since 1954

In 1954 Dutch migrant John de Jong arrived in Australia seeking a better life and a long and enduring story began. At the age of 52, John established De Jong & Sons with sons, Theo and John by his side, laying the foundation for what would become a long-standing family business on Tasmania’s North West Coast.

It remains proudly family-owned, with John’s grandson, also John de Jong, continuing his legacy and expanding the group over four decades. UCI Joinery and Being Studio, an office furniture and fit-out business, was begun and has grown strongly.

In 2010, it became a rare fourth generation business. Today, John’s three sons-in-law and daughter play integral roles in daily operations, with Karina Allan now at the helm as Group Manager, overseeing the De Jong Group.

A trusted legacy

Over the decades, De Jong & Sons built a strong and trusted reputation, including in government and social housing. They’ve delivered thousands of homes across multiple government programs.

Their experience spans many commercial and industrial projects, such as the Burnie Civic Centre in the 1970s and the award-winning Dismal Swamp Visitor Centre and Maze in the 2000s, which won a National MBA Award.

Current focus

In the past decade, they’ve focused on educational, community, and public sector projects. They’ve partnered with the State Government, the Department of Education, the University of Tasmania, Leighland Christian School, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Giant Steps.

Social housing is a core area of their expertise and they collaborate with Homes Tasmania, on projects like the Devonport Men’s Shelter.

Commercial construction remains their primary focus, but they continue to deliver residential developments, giving the company a diverse and resilient project portfolio.

Industry involvement

De Jong & Sons has been a proud member of the Master Builders of Tasmania since 1973. John de Jong was State President from 1995 to 1997 and remains actively involved at the Northwest Division and State levels, including as a director. His dedicated involvement reflects a strong commitment to industry leadership and best practice.

The De Jong Group

De Jong & Sons is part of the De Jong Group, which includes UCI Joinery and Being Studio. These businesses, acquired in the 1990s, originally did office furniture and fit-out works in Tasmania, with limited commercial joinery supporting De Jong & Sons Construction.

As the office furniture industry evolved from traditional joinery-based furniture to framed and electric workstations, the businesses adapted to meet changing market demands.

UCI Joinery

In 2020, UCI Joinery strategically shifted into the commercial joinery sector, and now works broadly with construction companies statewide. This transition has driven substantial growth over the past five years.

UCI Joinery has proudly contributed to major projects such as the Burnie Arts and Function Centre refit, UTAS The Forest, Devonport High School, and Penguin District School developments.

To support this growth, they’ve invested heavily in advanced CAD software, new machinery, and workforce restructuring, ensuring they consistently deliver high-quality products that exceed client expectations.

Being Studio

For more than 30 years, Being Studio (once UCI) has remained at the cutting edge of office furniture and fit-out. It goes on evolving to meet workplace trends, from slab-end desks to electric workstations, and from enclosed cubicles to open-plan and breakout environments.

Being Studio maintains strong relationships with trusted supply partners, so it can provide flexible, high-quality solutions tailored to each project. From bank fit-outs to State Government offices, they ably meet diverse client needs across many sectors.

Our People

Karina Allan is passionate about her people. 

“Our people are central to our success. We are deeply committed to developing the next generation through an active apprenticeship program, employing at least four new apprentices across the group each year.

We prioritise long-term career pathways, with all current management staff – both onsite and in the factory – having started with us as apprentices. We are proud to support diversity and opportunity, including our five fabulous female apprentices across the group.

Our commitment to training and development means sustainability and future strength for the De Jong Group.”

Looking Ahead

Continual growth has led to a significant investment in the future of the business, with construction of a new purpose-built De Jong Group facility in Ulverstone now underway. The custom-designed site will triple factory floor space and add more storage sheds for solid timber production.

The facility was designed with staff health and wellbeing in mind. It will have a gym, outdoor eating areas, and a basketball key. Close to the coastal bike path, the site also means staff might even enjoy a walk or cycle to work to stay fit.

Our Culture

“As we continue to grow, we remain firmly committed to preserving our family values, history, and culture. Our staff are the heart of our business, and we strive to ensure every team member feels valued and part of the De Jong family.”