Engineer pioneer retires

An engineering company that pioneered new ideas for several Marlborough industries will close its doors after almost half a century following the retirement of its founder.

Geoff Taylor, of Taylors Engineering, started out as a dairy farmer but switched to engineering work from a small shed at the back of a property in Koromiko, between Blenheim and Picton.

This led into stainless steel work and the birth of Taylors Engineering 47 years ago. His son Conway Taylor says the company not only developed new products, but built many friendships over the years.

The company’s purpose-built building and equipment in Liverpool St will continue to be used for engineering activities, with Crown Sheetmetal taking over a long-term lease.

Early projects included stainless steel vats for the cheese factories in Tuamarina and Koromiko and then other projects for the salt works at Grassmere, near Seddon.

‘‘Over the years Geoff has been approached by various industries with engineering problems. I think his legacy has been the ability to come up with creative engineering solutions to these challenges.’’

Taylors Engineering was originally established on Grove Rd, in Blenheim, and in the 1980s became involved in Marlborough’s new up and coming industry; wine.

Geoff designed and manufactured some of the region’s earliest wine tanks for Montana and many of the pioneering wine companies. By the 1990s, with the wine industry well and truly established, he began to develop other products including the tipping bin and tipping tank.

The tipping bin is an electrically powered, hydraulic grape bin, which gives the operator full control over the rate of tipping into the crusher.

His designs were cutting edge at the time, and Conway says the tipping bin concept in particular has since been widely adopted by both the New Zealand and Australian wine industries.

‘‘Geoff enjoyed the challenges and problemsolving that came with making a new idea work, backed by the support of trusting clients and great staff. Geoff would like to thank everyone involved over the years.’’