Australian Engineering Solutions

Vale John George

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of John George, who founded Austeng with his son Ross.

John was an exceptional engineer, combining innovation with entrepreneurial vision. A larger-than-life character, he made a lasting impact on many people and leaves behind an extraordinary legacy.

His contribution to the engineering and manufacturing sector in Geelong and beyond was significant. In addition to continuing GD Engineering in the early '60's (a business started by his father ) and co-founding Austeng, John also acquired a major early stage stake in Prince Engineering, which grew from a small industrial firm in the late 1960s into a major heavy engineering and fabrication company employing hundreds of people across multiple sites throughout Australia due, in no small part to his visionary leadership contribution. Today, a portion of that business continues to evolve, focusing on renewable energy and infrastructure.

John also played a critical role in revitalising struggling businesses, including Hercules Truck Bodies and Hirst Engineering , successfully reviving them before moving on to new ventures.

He was deeply committed to sharing his knowledge and mentoring others at Austeng, and we owe him a great debt of gratitude for this. His legacy continues with his grandsons Russell & Davis now in the business. Generally, his leadership and commitment to innovation helped shape a culture of engineering excellence, particularly in the Geelong region.

John will be remembered not only for his professional achievements, but for his generosity, vision, and the enduring influence he had on our industry and community.

Generator Work Platform

Proud to share the completion of this purpose‑designed generator work platform, engineered and manufactured by Austeng to support the assembly and maintenance of large wind turbine generators.

The platform provides safe, full‑circumference access for personnel working around the generator and rotor support ring during critical assembly operations, while also incorporating dedicated handling and working features to streamline workflow on site.

This was a highly specialised design with a number of unique engineering requirements, including:

• All non‑ferrous construction, specifically engineered to operate safely around the powerful magnetic fields within the generator

• Complex geometry, featuring a circular internal profile to suit the generator envelope, combined with an external polygonal (hexagonal) structure for strength and modular segmentation

• Fully modular architecture, allowing the entire platform to be disassembled and packed into two standard 40 ft shipping containers for efficient transport between sites

• A custom integrated work table, designed to support on‑platform tooling and assembly tasks at working height

• A custom roll‑over gate and pallet landing, enabling controlled material transfer onto the platform while maintaining edge protection and operator safety

• Designed and manufactured to comply with Australian Standards (AS 1657) for platforms, walkways and stair systems

Delivered end‑to‑end — from detailed engineering and 3D modelling through to fabrication, test assembly and documentation — this project showcases Austeng’s capability to deliver highly bespoke, safety‑critical equipment for the renewable energy sector.

🚀 Safer. Smarter. More Efficient Cremation — Delivered in Port Macquarie

What does good quality crematorium actually look like in 2026?

At Austeng, we believe it comes down to three things: safety, efficiency, and intelligent automation.

We’ve recently partnered with InvoCare to deliver a Joule Cremator and Automated Charge Bier at their Port Macquarie facility — continuing a relationship that has spanned 15+ years.

🔥 The Joule Cremator

Designed for performance and efficiency, the Joule combines advanced microprocessor controls with a highly engineered refractory system to deliver:

* Significantly reduced fuel consumption over the life of the asset
* Fast heat-up and optimised cremation cycles
* Consistent, automated operation with minimal operator intervention
* Long life cycle – built too last.

⚙️ The Automated Charge Bier

This is where the biggest step-change happens on the floor and one of our more popular products due to its advantages in safety, employee wellness and workplace liability.

We’ve removed the need for manual handling entirely and redefined how operators interact with the cremator:

✅ One-person operation, even for the heaviest coffins
✅ Remote controlled operation for improved safety during charging
✅ PLC-controlled positioning — no misalignment, no guesswork
✅ Fully automated charge sequence — consistent, repeatable, safe

💡 Why this matters

Crematoriums are under increasing pressure to:

* Improve OH&S outcomes.
* Reduce operational risk.
* Drive efficiency with limited staff.
* Maintain high standards for families and communities.

This installation is a clear example of how engineering-led solutions can deliver on all four.

At Austeng, we don’t just supply equipment — we design complete, integrated systems that work in the real world.

We’re proud to continue supporting InvoCare and the broader industry as it evolves.

We were delighted that Austeng' s Managing Director, Ross George, travelled to Christchurch, NZ recently for a visit to the newly installed Resomation® unit at Water Cremation Aotearoa. During the visit, Ross met with Director Deborah Richards and her dedicated team to see the facility in operation first hand.

The visit also brought together Ben Kelly, CEO of ACCA, and Frank de Groot from Geelong Cemeteries Trust, creating a valuable opportunity for shared learning, discussion, and industry collaboration.

What stood out most was the strong early uptake of the Christchurch facility — New Zealand’s first water crematorium. Just months after commissioning, Water Cremation Aotearoa has already completed more than 100 Resomation , dispositions with the majority of families choosing water cremation over traditional flame cremation. This clearly signals a meaningful shift toward more environmentally sustainable end of life choices in Aotearoa.

The facility operates through a partnership between Water Cremation Aotearoa and long established Christchurch funeral directors Bell, Lamb & Trotter. Deborah shared that families are responding very positively to Resomation, particularly valuing its lower environmental impact, absence of carbon emissions, and its gentler perception compared with flame cremation.

Congratulations to Deborah Richards and the Christchurch team for their leadership in guiding families through this change and building trust in innovative technology. The early success of Water Cremation Aotearoa is tangible evidence that Resomation is rapidly emerging as a credible and increasingly preferred alternative within the New Zealand funeral sector.

If you’re interested in learning more about Resomation, visiting an operating facility, or discussing how water cremation could support your community’s sustainability goals in Australia , we’d welcome the conversation.

Austeng has successfully completed the electrical, programming, and commissioning works for the new/refurbished CIP Truck Wash in Maffra for

McColl’s Transport.

This project showcased the strength of our close working relationship with McColl’s, delivering a fully integrated solution from concept to commissioning.

Our scope included:

* Electrical circuit design tailored to a demanding wash environment
* Sensor and equipment selection to ensure reliability and long‑term performance
* PLC programming to coordinate wash sequences with precision
* HMI design focused on operator clarity and ease of use
* Full commissioning and testing to verify safe, efficient, and repeatable operation

The system has now been running for over six months and has successfully washed more than 700 trucks, proving both its reliability and performance.

This has reduced costs, decreased trucks downtime, decrease labour and enhanced the cleaning quality. Innovation that is driving profits and keeping McColl'ss as the industry leader.

A great outcome driven by strong teamwork and smart engineering.

Austeng continues to support industry with turnkey solutions — from adding modern electrical control systems to existing equipment, to designing, building, manufacturing, and commissioning complete new systems both mechanically and electrically.

Please get into contact with us if you require any solution to problems keeping you up at night.

Austeng has recently completed design and manufacture of a 2-in-1 hybrid coffin trolley and manual charge bier for use in crematoria. This sleek stainless-steel trolley features an electric powered drive wheel allowing for easy transportation of coffins weighing up to 250kg.

The scissor lift can raise and lower coffins from a hearse to the top rack of a cool room. Unlike other trolleys, this features a full sliding manually-operated charge deck capable of extending 1200mm into a cremator.

The deck can be secured in the retracted position and rollers can be braked to enable safe and secure transport of the coffin. This machine, capable of serving multiple purposes, represents Austeng’s continued dedication to innovation and the cemetery and crematoria industry.

A few years ago, Austeng had the privilege of manufacturing advanced fire training pods for BullEx Australia, deployed for use by the Country Fire Authority (CFA).

These purpose-built units were engineered to deliver real fire conditions — flames, heat and realistic temperature profiles — closely replicating the environments firefighters face in the field. Designed with multiple seats of fire, each pod enables a range of targeted training scenarios, helping firefighters build confidence, capability and muscle memory in a controlled yet highly realistic setting.

This remains a strong example of how Australian engineering and manufacturing can directly support frontline emergency services and community safety. It also highlights the breadth of Austeng’s capabilities — bringing together mechanical design, fabrication, controls integration and systems thinking to solve bespoke, real-world problems and enable specialised technology across diverse industries.

We’re proud to have played a role in delivering infrastructure that strengthens operational readiness and demonstrates what local advanced manufacturing can achieve.

We’re pleased to announce a new collaboration between Austeng and Environmental Combustion Technology (EC Tech), a UK-based manufacturer of high-efficiency cremation and abatement systems.

This collaboration builds on a relationship spanning more than 35 years, during which Austeng has worked with multiple iterations of the business—from Furnace Constructions through to Matthews. With new management now in place at EC Tech, this long-standing relationship has been reinvigorated and formalised into a renewed strategic partnership.

The partnership brings together globally proven cremation technology with Austeng’s 30+ years of Australian engineering, installation, and service capability, enabling the delivery of premium cremation solutions across Australia and New Zealand—initially focused on pet cremation systems and emissions abatement. Backed by more than 30 years of innovation, Austeng has developed a range of industry-ready solutions—including coffin trolleys, transfer vans, ash processors, and green hydrogen blending technologies—that will add further value to the EC Tech partnership. The multitude of Austeng developments including those noted above can also be accessed by EC Tech to diversify their suite of industry solicitors into the UK and EU.

This collaboration further strengthens Austeng’s position as a trusted Australian partner for advanced cremation and alternative disposition technologies, giving clients confidence that internationally leading equipment is backed by proven, on-the-ground expertise.

We look forward to working with EC Tech as we continue to expand Austeng’s offering in the cremation and alternative disposition space.

Great to take the Queenscliff–Sorrento ferry over the weekend and see the architectural feature on top of the Observation Tower we manufactured for Buxton’s still in excellent condition—and looking as striking as ever.

It was a challenging project for Austeng and a great example of our ability to practically bring an architect’s vision to life.

Not surprisingly, we were the only company willing and able to deliver this level of complexity and craftsmanship.

Austeng was proud to support Viva Energy Australia during their maintenance turnaround late last year.

A key focus of our work was the Catalyst Cooler Removal Unit (CCRU)—affectionately known as “The Chariot”. Originally designed and built by Austeng in 1990 by our founders, Ross George and John George, the CCRU has been an integral part of Viva’s operations for decades.

As part of this project, the unit was completely stripped down, refurbished, reassembled, and fully load-tested using a purpose-designed and manufactured test rig. Following this comprehensive overhaul, the CCRU was returned to site and successfully reinstalled during Viva’s recent maintenance turnaround.

Now back in service, The Chariot has resumed its 67.5-tonne lifting duties with renewed reliability and confidence. Attached are photos of Ross George assisting with the installation—an especially meaningful moment, bringing the unit’s original design full circle.

Austeng is pleased to have collaborated with Viva Energy to bring this important transition to life and to continue supporting Australia's critical infrastructure through engineering excellence.

Energy # Austeng