Neil Louwrens, Manufacturing Manager, Visy Tumut

My career in the paper industry started in 1994 as an electrical maintenance engineer working in the paper machine area. In 1999 I was promoted to shift manager, I felt I needed to know more about paper making so completed my degree in pulp and paper.

In 2001 I was promoted to Production Manager, first managing a kraft liner board machine, then, Plant Manager of a stone groundwood mill and finally Production Manager on a Newsprint machine.

In 2006 my family and I immigrated to Australia from South Africa, for two and a half years I was the Production Manager of Visy VP3/6 in Smithfield. In 2009 I was assigned the Start-up Manager for the new machine being constructed at our Tumut facility.
During the same year, I also assisted with the start-up of Pratt's Shreveport mill in the USA.

In 2010 I was appointed as Paper Mill Manager at Tumut and in 2018 became Manufacturing Manager responsible for all production activities of the Visy Tumut mill.

I feel that I have learned so much over the years and now it’s time to give something back.