New Wagners fibre machine has special worker connection

ROBERT Channing loved his job supervising the Wagners Composite Fibre Technologies' production line at Wellcamp.

NEW MACHINE: Kyrese Skinner holds up a photo of his grandfather Robert Channing, who had a new composite fibre pultrusion machine unveiled in his honour at the Wagners facility at Wellcamp and (inset) Wagners executive general manager Michael Kemp and Tracey Channing in front of the machine. Picture: Tobi Loftus

ROBERT Channing loved his job supervising the Wagners Composite Fibre Technologies' production line at Wellcamp.

His wife, Tracey Channing, said Robert, who died last year, was very proud of the work he did there and had hoped to go further within the company, that exports its CFT material all around the world.

"He just got in and did everything," Mrs Channing said.

"He would always come home from work and talk about what he did. He motivated everyone, he got in there and made it fun. I've spoke to everyone who worked with him, they loved working with him. They told me he made it a fun place to work."

Yesterday Robert was memorialised with a plaque installed on a new pultrusion machine, the fourth at the Wagners facility.

Michael Kemp and Tracey Channing in front of Wagners new composite fibre pultrusion machine. Picture: Tobi Loftus

That machine is already pumping out composite fibre materials which will be used in construction projects in cities such as Abu Dhabi.

"It makes me very proud, he would've been extremely honoured," Mrs Channing said.

"He wouldn't have liked the fuss, but deep down he would have been so proud. I'm proud that everyone thought so well of him and loved him so much.

Groom MP John McVeigh used the machine's unveiling to announce $3 million had been allocated by the Federal Government for Wagners and the University of Southern Queensland to research new approaches to CFT.

"The research team hopes to optimise the existing process for increased productivity," he said.

Originally published as New Wagners fibre machine has special worker connection