The high hopes of a Shepparton engineer today rested in a one tonne crate as it left Shepparton on the first leg of its journey to Finland.
Joe Carmody, of Carmody Specialist Engineer, Annerley Ave, has just completed an automatic surgical mask machine for Finnwebb in Ilomantsi.
Last year he built a similar machine for Finnwad (Australia) Pty Ltd in Numurkah Rd and the second machine is going to Finnwad's parent company.
They are the only two machines of their kind in the world and Mr Carmody has hopes to get further export orders. The machine does away with the need to hand sew surgical masks for hospitals. From rolls of material the machine does the complete job and heat seals the masks, not leaving holes such as caused by hand sewing.
“With that machine goes a lot of hopes for the future of Joe Carmody,” the Shepparton engineer said as he watched a crane load the crate on to a truck, which was taking it to the wharf in Melbourne.
It has taken Mr Carmody just on four months work to complete the machine.
He made the prototype for Finnwad last year after Finnwad set up the specifications.
Mr Carmody then worked on a consulting basis with the managing director of Finnwad, Bernard Cross, in completing it.
Marketing supervisor for Finnwad Ray Stockwell said this machine had performed remarkably well at Shepparton.
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