Covey Consulting Staff

Dr. Geoff Covey
Chairman

He started it all. Geoff is qualified as a chemical engineer and patent attorney. He has thirty years experience in technical, design and consulting roles in a wide range of industries. He specialises in solids processing and process development. In recent years much of his work has been in providing expert witness services, particularly for the minerals industry. Geoff has worked in academia and is an Associate Professor at University of Melbourne.

Mr. Reg Harvey
Process Manager

The second person to join Covey Consulting, Reg is our Process Manager. Reg has a degree in industrial chemistry and works mainly on chemical processes. He has nearly forty years experience in the paper, minerals, chemical and water industries. Reg specialises in environmental work, troubleshooting, project evaluation and commissioning. He is renowned for his attention to detail.

Mr. Gerke Faber
Mechanical Engineering Manager

Our Engineering Manager, Gerke is a mechanical engineer who joined us in 1991 after twenty years experience in the paper industry. Gerke specialises in project management, project engineering and mechanical design. He also has considerable experience in plant troubleshooting and improvement and in setting up engineering systems of various types.

Mr. Dennis Shore
General Manager

A Chemical Engineer and Chartered Professional Engineer with extensive experience in pulp and paper manufacturing, technology, markets, project delivery and management. Specific capabilities in kraft, semi chemical and mechanical pulp; packaging papers, fine papers, newsprint and tissue sectors. Dennis is an expert in the paper recycling sector, has evaluated acquisition opportunities in Europe, Asia and the US, and successfully established a greenfield containerboard mill in the US.

Dr. Bruce Allender
Microscopist and Strategic Resourcing Environmental Specialist

Bruce is the ultimate example of multi-skilling. With Amcor & PaperlinX for 27 years after renouncing an earlier academic career, Bruce has expert credentials in microscopy, chemical safety, environmental impact design & surveys, environmental risk, bioassay evaluation, water treatment, environmental due diligence, paper product safety, and also research and project management. Bruce also established a career  in various strategic sourcing roles, principally purchasing key chemical raw materials and consumables for the paper industry as well as  the procurement of outsourcing of services and manufacturing activities

Mr. David Allan
Sustainable Strategist

Our man in Western Australia. David is a chemical engineer with formal management qualifications and many years of experience in production and technical roles in the paper, chemical, waste management and minerals processing industries. David's main activities these days are in areas relating to Sustainable Outcomes (also the name he works under) - cleaner production, more energy efficient production and development of 'triple bottom line' strategies.

Mr. Eddie Blundstone
Mechanical Engineer

Eddie is a mechanical engineer with over forty years of experience in production, project, maintenance and design. He spent many years with CIG in various locations around the Pacific region and also has wide experience in the paper industry and the general chemical industry. Eddie is particularly knowledgeable on pressure systems, including regulatory requirements for pressure vessels and flow systems, materials handling, detail engineering and capital cost control.

Mr. Roger Canty
Chemical Engineer

Roger has qualifications in chemical engineering and pulp and paper science. He has nearly thirty years of industrial experience in the paper and chemical industries. He has successfully tackled roles in research, technical support, production management and technical sales. Roger can offer services in problem solving, performance improvement, logistics and most aspects of papermaking.

Mr. Charlie Chan
Marketing manager and Asian Specialist

Charlie is CA qualified with audit and corporate accounting background who has progressed through overall commercial management into new business development activities and paper and recycled paper trading at general manager level. He has cross cultural abilities and significant exposure to overseas markets in North and South East Asia and North America.

Charlie speaks Malay, Indonesian, Cantonese dialect and some Mandarin

Dr. Dennis Creasy
Consultant Chemical Engineer, Particle Technologist [Emeritus]

A chemical engineer with many years of experience in industry and academia in Australia and UK. Dennis specialises in most forms of particle technology, with particular interest in crystallisation, fluidisation and solids handling. He has also been heavily involved in coal liquefaction and high pressure reaction systems. Dennis loves a challenge!

Dr. Alan Farrington
Chemist/Fibre Technologist

Pulping chemist extraordinaire. Alan has a PhD in chemistry and over thirty five years of experience in applying it to improving the performance of pulp mills. He has worked for pulp and paper companies in Canada and Australia in a range of research and technical roles. His achievements include being one of the inventors of AQ pulping, which takes the smell out of kraft pulping. (Steve is not impressed at this loss of potential work!). His skills include resource assessment, process investigation and mill optimisation.

Dr. Ajit Ghosh
Chemical Engineer

Trained in chemistry and chemical engineering, Ajit has investigated a wide variety of innovative technologies at research institutions and demonstrated a unique ability to "finetune" elements in process industries to carve substantial costs off the "bottom line". Identifying, analysing and resolving are Ajit's strengths. He is an expert in dryer evaluations

Mr. Stephen Grist
Chemical Analyst

Wonder why your food tastes funny, or your wrapping paper smells like parmesan cheese? Ask Steve. Steve is an analytical and investigative chemist, a former Manager of Technical Services for Amcor and laboratory manager for Leeder Consulting. He has specialised in developing specialised analytical techniques and in using his analytical chemistry skills to solve operating and packaging problems. Steve has an enviable track record in solving problems of food taint, odour problems and tracing the source of deposits in manufacturing plants.

Dr. Alan L Harvey
Electronics, Control Systems and Computer Processing Expert

Alan started his career in Control Systems at Fairfield mill followed by work in oil refinery instrumentation for BP Australia and BP UK, both in control systems. He worked for A&R Soanar as an electronic design Engineer in power supplies and on return to Australia, worked for CMPS, before joining RMIT/PIT. Alan is an expert in Image Processing/Computer Vision and electronic systems, electronics and control systems.

Mr. Shane Harvey
Software Engineer

An honours graduate in computer science, Shane has provided programming and CAD skills to clients of Covey Consulting. However, his knowledge is broader than that; such phrases as "internet technologies", "neural networks" and "artificial intelligence" roll easily from his tongue and mind.

Mr. Robin Johnson
Consultant Process Chemist

Robin is a chemist with over forty years experience in the pulp and paper industry. His career started in the UK and then bought him to Australia. He has held many technical and environmental management positions and has also been Senior Mill Chemist and Papermaker. His areas of expertise include recycling of fibre, effluent management and pulping and bleaching (especially of non-woods).

Mrs. Dianne Jones
Information Consultant

Our technical information expert. Dianne has an Arts degree and postgraduate qualifications in librarianship and management. Dianne has held a series of positions in the engineering and medical libraries including both Melbourne and Monash Universities. Dianne is involved in information searching and retrieval for both Covey Consulting projects and for a range of external clients. She can also help with your desktop design and web page needs. Dianne is the editor of the Covey Consulting newsletter.

Mr. John Trewick
Information Consultant

An information specialist with many years experience in paper and packaging industries and specializing in database searching, document retrieval and technology monitoring in an industrial manufacturing and research environment. Produces and edits Tracing Papers, an update abstracting service for the pulp and paper industries and Radiata Bulletin, a subscription based publication which provides current information as an executive update to the Forest Industry. 

Mr. David Wood
Telecommunications and Software Expert

David has worked in the utility, scientific and emergency services sectors, and understands working within the constraints of the high availability systems typically used in those industries. David's work interests and experiences include (but are not limited to) the fields of Telecommunications, SCADA/Telemetry, Control Systems and Software Design; and he has worked in all facets of project delivery including Project Management, Technical Design and Commissioning.

David has particularly expertise in Telecommunications Engineering and has planned, designed, managed and commissioned several greenfield carrier-grade telecommunications projects incorporating various microwave radio, optical fibre and multiplexing technologies.

Mr. Ross Patterson
Consultant Mechanical Engineer

Ross is a pulp, paper, and sawmill veteran, with decades of experience holding senior engineering positions in the industry. Starting his mechanical engineering career in Darwin and Adelaide, he found is way into saw, and then pulp and paper mills, building up many OHS and compliance skills along with his continued focus on control systems, mechanics, and thermodynamics.

Mr. Norm Lasslett
Process and Control Systems Engineer

Norm is the nicest type of control-freak! He is a control systems specialist with over thirty years experience in optimisation, advanced process control and instrumentation systems. His range of work has included mill-wide information systems design and implementation, QC systems, neural network systems and operator training. Norm has worked for clients in Australia, USA, Germany and Ireland, mainly in the paper and brewing industries. His work in process control and optimisation is directed at bottom line improvement. More accurately described as an Information Specialist really.  Norm's company is Procex Pty Ltd.

Mr. Peter Brett
Electrical Engineer

Peter has qualifications in electrical and systems engineering and his expertise spans all aspects of electrical engineering from distribution to drives. He is particularly knowledgeable about variable speed drives and energy reduction. Peter is well experienced in supervising capital projects and can provide the full package from design through to installation

Mr. Murray Orchard
Electrical Engineer

A versatile Mechanical Engineer with wide experience across a broad range of industries. All of this enables Murray to approach solutions with the experience derived from many sources and develop innovative outcomes for challenges in many process industries.

Mr. William Springham
Consultant Process Chemist/OHS Specialist

A graduate in chemistry, which training served him well in pulp mill operations, William has a second major string to his bow; a profound interest in OHS. He has expanded his formal training with practical hands-on courses related to management of OHS issues and operations.