John P Hyman

John P Hyman (1924 - )

John Philip Hyman was born on 5th March, 1924 in Melbourne.

He attended a Victorian state primary school and then West Melbourne Junior Technical School (Intermediate).

He was awarded an MTC Council Scholarship for full time Diploma Study at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, from where he graduated 1942. He was then awarded a Commonwealth Government Grant to the University of Melbourne from where he graduated, Bachelor of Engineering Science in 1944.

At this time, he enlisted in the 2nd AIF, Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, gaining the rank of Lieutenant. Following Army Service, he resumed studies 1946 and graduated, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in 1947.

His first professional employment was with Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd for the period 1948 to 1955. He was a technical assistant to the Chief Engineer, Melbourne Mill; Research Engineer and Plant Engineer at the Botany Mill; Control Engineer at Fairfield Mill; then Assistant Chief Mechanical Engineer, with technical and administrative duties including cost control, planning and work study, negotiations with trade unions. He managed installation of preventive maintenance systems for plant and buildings.

Between 1955 and 1960 Hyman worked for Prestige Limited as Chief Engineer responsible for all engineering works for the company and subsidiaries It was at that time Australia's largest and most diverse textile manufacturer. He was responsible for plant and building maintenance and construction. In 1956 he became an associate director of Prestige Ltd and General Manager of Dyecraft Pty Ltd. From February 1960 Hyman was with Malleys Limited, initially as the Queensland General Manager, responsible for state operations employing 500 in the manufacture of a range of consumer durables. He was also responsible for product development; engineering; marketing and administration. Branch sales at this time exceeded $4 million.

In 1965 his role at Malleys Limited changed to Manufacturing Manager, responsible for Group manufacturing activities in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, including asset protection. In this role in 1967 he travelled to the USA and Scandinavia to study manufacturing and engineering techniques, and in 1968 travelled to the USA and Japan as General Manager of a newly formed joint venture with AB Bahco of Stockholm, Sweden.

In 1969, and until 1973, Hyman moved to Gilbarco Australia Ltd as a Director of the company, its New Zealand subsidiary and Philippines branch. Gilbarco was an affiliate of Exxon Corporation. He was the director responsible for manufacturing and engineering with corporate responsibility for product research and development; quality assurance; purchasing; inventory control and distribution; plant and building maintenance. He was a member of the Corporate planning, product rationalization and diversification studies management committee, and a member of the human resources planning management development committee. In 1969 and 1970 he visited the USA to study the engineering and manufacturing activities of the Corporation.

In 1972 he formed his own company, Hygro Enterprises Pty. Ltd, and in the same year travelled to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. He undertook market survey work on behalf of Total Concepts Pty. Limited, an Australian Company manufacturing tin dredging equipment, and in 1973 visited Singapore and Malaysia representing STM Pty Ltd, manufacturers in Australia of petrol pump automatic dispensing nozzles and ejector pins for plastic moulding. During 1974 and 1975 Hyman travelled to Canada and the Far East on a number of occasions.

In 1976 Hyman moved to Joy Manufacturing Company Pty. Ltd as Operations Manager of the Australian subsidiary of Joy Manufacturing, USA. Corporate sales at this time were US $600 Million. He was responsible for all manufacturing and maintenance of plant and buildings. In 1976 he travelled to the USA, Japan and Hong Kong to study the manufacture of Company products at Denver Equipment Company, Colorado Springs and Franklin Pennsylvania. Joy Australia operated the following Divisions:

Coal Mining Machinery (Continuous miners and shuttle cars);

Western Precipitation (Air pollution control equipment);

Denver Equipment Company (water treatment plants etc);

Metals Mining Division (Hoists and Haulers);

Electrical Products Division (Connectors and Regulators);

Replacement Parts Division.

Hyman was responsible for all manufacturing engineering, materials management, factory operation and quality assurance. In 1980 Hyman moved to Clydemaster Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Clyde Industries Ltd. Until 1983 he was the State Manager - (NSW & ACT). Products of the company included hydraulic pumps, motors, valves and power units in support of coal mining, primary industry and food processing and for mobile construction machinery. Other products: Airless paint spray equipment; high pressure positive displacement pumps; air operated diaphragm pumps.

In 1983 Hyman became NSW State Manager Mercury Weighing & Control Systems Pty. Ltd. 1988 This was Australia's largest manufacturers of electronic weighing equipment such as Medical & Scientific, Weighbridges, Control Systems and Industrial Scales. It was the representative in Australia of the A & D Company of Japan.

In 1984 Hyman became the Director of Marketing and in 1987 the Director of Asian operations. Mercury was the only Company in the history of Australia to have won two Federal Government "Small Business Awards of Merit".

In 1988 Hyman relocated to POGC Pty. Ltd. (Sensor Technology). He assisted the Managing Director develop the marketing of a range of Hi-Tech products using radioactive, infrared and ultrasonic sensors in control systems for continuous manufacturing processes, including paper and paper board, beverages, extruded film and blown film. He remained with this company until 1990.

John Hyman was a Member of the Institution of Engineers Australia. He married and had three children.

To access an oral history interview with John P Hyman please use this link:

https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Oral_Histories_Sydney