Eighteen retired Hyne team members got together to reminisce while touring through Hyne’s Glue Laminated Timber plant and Tuan Sawmill near Maryborough last week.
Hyne Team Members and Retirees at Tuan Mill
These 18 retirees collectively represent approximately 620 years of service, with Kev Davies having served for 50 years at Hyne.
Host, and 5th generation Hyne family member, James Hyne said it was a real pleasure to take the group through the operations and acknowledge the many changes, improvements, and efficiencies over the years,
“Having worked in the company myself for over forty years, I have worked with all these retirees and enjoy keeping in contact.
“I see many of them around Maryborough and it was in conversation with Glue Laminated Timber plant retiree, Dale Green of 37 years, that he informed me he had never in his life been to our Tuan Mill.
“This got us talking about arranging a full tour of both Glulam and Tuan and getting many of the long-serving retirees together.”
Enjoying a BBQ lunch, all sorts of tales were remembered and shared both in reference to the sites and also more socially with the observation made that it was nice to catch up and not be at a funeral.
“In addition to the social catch up, the new Continuous Drying Kiln at Tuan and the new automated glue laminated timber plant with a huge press and its timber structure were certainly highlights of the tour that most attendees hadn’t seen before.” Hyne said.
Glulam site support officer, Rachael Halley said the tour had made her day,
“It was so lovely to see them all and it shows how long I’ve been around as I knew every single one of them and admit I shed a few tears saying goodbye to them.”
With several longstanding retirees unable to be contacted, Hyne Timber intends to host similar tours with more opportunity for social interaction in the near future. For existing team members to hear about Hyne ‘back in the day’ and share stories is further added value for everyone.
Image: (L-R) Yvonne Loveday, Angela Pappin, Chris Robertson and John McDonald
