Jeff Harwood has farewelled Joe White Maltings following 50 years of employment in roles such as packing, leading hand, drum operator, and roast operator.
Harwood began working at the Joe White plant in Ballarat in 1974, aged 17. His career evolved as the Ballarat plant underwent technical development, such as the installation of roasters in the 1990s that allowed Harwood to become a roast operator.
Throughout these developments, Joe White National Project and Asset Care Manager, Annette Weir, said that Harwood’s experience and expertise was an asset to the plant.
“Joe White’s history of manufacturing coloured and specialty malts stretches back almost 100 years, and Jeff has been with our business for more than half of that time.
“Today the malting process is largely computer-based and highly automated, but Jeff’s expertise dates from an era that necessitated a more instinctual approach to the craft. He has an innate ability to judge by sight the quality of a batch of barley or wheat, and know instinctively how it will turn out after malting,” she said.
As well as changes in the plant, Harwood witnessed major industry developments over his 50-year career, such as the transition from rail freight to trucks to transport grain, the introduction of silos for grain storage, and the implementation of automated processes.
Harwood has made significant impact on the workforce at Joe White Maltings, and Weir particularly highlighted younger employees that have benefited from his experience.
“There are many employees still there today who Jeff worked alongside for 30-plus years,” she said. I’m only a short snippet in his career history, in fact I think he was taking his long service leave at the time I was born.
“We are so grateful for his career-long commitment to malting, which has provided the drinks industry with high quality ingredients over the last five decades,” she said.
Harwood’s advice for new entrants to the industry is to develop passion and care for the job, be resilient in the face of challenges, and listen to and learn from those around you. In his retirement, he looks forward to travelling, playing golf, and spending time with his grandchildren.