HOW GORILLAS INNOVATE: THE ACTIVITIES OF MIST

LOCAL TECHNICAL ASSOCIATIONS formed in regional centres have an important role to play in the education of production and technical personnel, and in the advancement of technology. This paper describes the development of the Mackay Institute of Sugar Technologists Incorporated (MIST) and reports on some of its activities undertaken in its 10 years of existence. Since its formation, MIST and its predecessors have served to aid innovation and ensure the continued improvement of existing operational practices. In particular, MIST has become a medium for the on-going technical advancement of managers, sugar milling engineers, sugar technologists and chemists, supervisors and other operational personnel in the Mackay-Sarina-Proserpine district. MIST aims to hold meetings at all mills in the district each year, and to conduct regular visits to the Sugar Refinery and Bulk Sugar Terminal in Mackay. Invited speakers present lectures at meetings and visits to allied industries are undertaken. A review of factory start-ups at the beginning of each crush season presents important learnings for technical personnel. One meeting per year is devoted to prospective speakers from the district to have a rehearsal of their papers to be presented at the Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ASSCT) annual conference. All these activities have been held regularly each year for the past ten years. The introduction of annual training workshops in the 2013 maintenance season has been a recent achievement for MIST. The workshops provide a forum for personnel (e.g. shift supervisors) who have limited time during the crush season to brush up on their technical skills. This paper describes how MIST can act as a model local technical association aiming to improve the ongoing education of their members and to advance the adoption of technology in their regional area.