Castings Technology International (CTI), the Sheffield-based cast metals research and development organisation, has been playing host to two young Australian competition winners. Joel Poustie of Wodonga, Victoria and Andrew Thompson of Maryborough, Queensland, beat thousands of competitors to win a six-week trip to the UK including a two-week long visit to CTI’s Sheffield facility. The competition includes both practical and theoretical elements, with the young men making patterns and castings as part of the selection
process. Joel, a pattern-maker for Bradken Pacific (Woodonga), and Andrew, an apprentice moulder with Walkers Pty Ltd, took part in the World Skills competition last March. Their companies are both leading manufacturers of castings for the engineering, mining and rail industries.
In addition to working at CTI, Joel and Andrew attended the Steel Research Committee meeting and visited four local foundries, Doncasters FVC, Sheffield Forgemasters, Norton Cast Products and Furniss & White. During their visits they were able to witness a diverse range of castings in terms of size, complexity and shape being manufactured.
After their two-week long stay in Sheffield, Andrew is returning home to Australia and Joel is off to spend six months with Edgar Allen Ltd, one of CTI ’s member companies in Bathgate, Scotland, which also specialises in castings for rail applications.
