History
In 1964 Crib Point Engineering was making farm machinery when BP started the construction of its Crib Point Refinery at our then back door. Crib Point Engineering immediately became the supplier of all engineering hardware and supporter of construction equipment, then after construction came refinery maintenance. This consisted of pumps, valves, lifting equipment, ship to shore gangway design and supply.
During this same period boat building was commenced and Crib Point Engineering ran its own work boats in Western Port providing runs for crews, stores, and maintenance to shipping and dredging operations.
When Esso started their gas plant at Long Island Point Crib Point Engineering set up along side Esso to provide them with similar skills as those provided to BP, additionally Crib Point Engineering provided the full maintenance crew at start up including ship connection gangs.
The provision of high pressure cold service pipe work was undertaken at this time along with construction of tube bundles, and all manner of fabrication.
With the start of BHP at Long Island Crib Point Engineering moved into heavy fabrication and machining and our facilities increased very substantially.
Being the owners of expensive capital equipment we started in the business of machine tool reconditioning to support our own equipment and this lead to providing these skills to others.
The automotive manufactures then approached Crib Point Engineering to supply the design and manufacture of special purpose equipment for their production lines. This capability is now also taken up by the white goods and component manufactures. Supply of automation equipment is now exported to various companies because of the skills and methods developed by Crib Point Engineering.
In the early 1980s Crib Point Engineering developed its first Marine Straddle Carrier starting at 40 tonnes capacity and is now up to 500 tonnes, we have in the pipe line a machine up to 1500 tonnes.
The above is to explain just how one company has gained so much skill and knowledge and the prime reason lies with the founder Lionel Banks who set in place a tradition of opportunity, which is still followed by Bill, Ted, Robert and Alex.
Teds two sons Robert and Alex the third generation are now in the business, both with the sole desire to produce fine engineering equipment.
