Over 100 years of engineering

The economic woes of the 1930s had only a limited effect on the company. Machinery was now being serviced in many Dunedin factories like Shacklock’s and Cadbury’s and work on motor cars and trucks increased. Large gears were made for the Otago Harbour Board and a forklift for Otago Iron Rolling Mills at Green Island. Agencies for Allis-Chalmers tractors and Leyland trucks were added and the firm’s reputation for precision engineering was enhanced with new machinery.

A new generation of the Scott family joined the company to learn the ropes from the bottom up. By the late 1930s, there were about 70 staff members and the range of activities included selling parts, operating furnaces, cylinder, and crank grinding, die making and a dozen other jobs. As the southern representative of Motor Specialities, J & A P Scott expanded the parts department and in 1938 opened a branch in Invercargill.

At the outbreak of war, the firm was supplied with precision equipment by the government and the entire operation was dedicated to making munitions, mainly mortars and bombs. New staff, including women, were “man-powered” to help with the work and existing male staff found it difficult to be released when they volunteered for overseas services. After the war, this experience with mass production led the company into the world of manufacturing.

Under Graeme Marsh, as part of the Donaghy’s group, Scott moved to new premises and focussed on the core business of designing and producing machines for industry. The design department expanded, and important contracts were signed with major firms like Fisher and Paykel. The 1970s saw the growth of export orders so that by the end of the decade overseas orders were in the million-dollar range.

Kelvinator of Australia, impressed by the machines being used by Fisher and Paykel, placed a large order and this prompted Scott to explore the American market by establishing a base in Dallas. Thus began a series of long-standing relationships with major United States manufacturers. Export orders reached more than $25 million a year and the client base extended to the United Kingdom and Europe while in New Zealand staff numbers were now about one hundred. The company was now a regular recipient of export awards. During the 1980s the use of computers in design work became universal and the company had full order books. In spite of the work available, the company decided not to compromise on quality, and this ensured a reputation for excellence which was valuable when overseas recessions affected the marketplace.

The slowdown in the American economy in 2001 was the catalyst for Scott to diversify. This diversification was two-fold: firstly, Scott diversified geographically and entered the Asian and European markets for appliance manufacturing systems; and secondly, it began to diversify into other niche market areas.

During the global financial crisis of 2009, Scott continued to invest heavily in research and development in all areas of the business. The benefit of this investment is now being realised, with growth and opportunities in all current markets served.

In 2016, JBS - the second-largest food company in the world - became a majority shareholder of Scott. JBS currently holds 53%.

Today, Scott specialises in the design and manufacture of automated production, robotics, and process machinery globally. With over 600 employees and operations in twelve countries (New Zealand, Australia, China, America, Canada, Czech Republic, Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Chile and Uruguay). Scott operates globally, supplying equipment and servicing customers in over 75 countries.

Scott has enjoyed many successes which have countered the times of uncertainty in economic downturns, international markets, and geographic distance. It is with immense pride that Scott thanks the generations of people who have been part of the Scott story, making it the company it is today.