Person

Benjamin, Louis Reginald Samuel (1892 - 1970)

CBE

Born
30 April 1892
Ayr, Queensland, Australia
Died
14 March 1970
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation
Industrial chemist and Technologist

Summary

Louis Benjamin was involved in research into the use of eucalypts for paper production, in particular the soda, sulphite and mechanical processes of pulping wood. He was employed by the Institute of Science and Industry, CSIR and Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd.

As Superintendent of the Australian Newsprint Mills Pty Ltd from 1938, he was responsible for construction and commissioning of the Boyer Newsprint Mill, New Norfolk, Tasmania, the first pulp and paper mill in the world to utilise hardwood to produce newsprint.

The LR Benjamin Medal, the highest medal awarded by Appita since 1971, is named in his honour.

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Details

Chronology

c. 1916 - c. 1917
Career position - Metallurgist, eastern goldfields
c. 1916 - c. 1917
Education - Kalgoorlie School of Mines
1918 - 1919
Career position - Chemistry Department, Perth Technical College [under I.H. Boas]
1919 - 1928
Career position - Institute of Science and Industry (later Council for Scientific and Industrial Research)
1928 - 1938
Career position - Technical superintendent, Pulp and paper-mill operated by Tasmanian Paper Pty Ltd, Kermandie
1930 - 1932
Career position - Superintendent of research and technical control, Australian Paper Manufacturers Ltd, Melbourne
1932 - 1956
Career position - General Superintendent, Derwent Valley Paper Co. Pty Ltd, Hobart [formed Australian Newsprint Mills Pty Ltd in 1938]
1938 - 1956
Career position - General Superintendent, Australian Newsprint Mills Pty Ltd
1940s
Career event - Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute
1945 - 1960
Career position - Vice-chairman, Australian Aluminium Production Commission
1950 - 1951
Career position - President, Australian Pulp and Paper Industry Technical Association
1956
Life event - Retired
1956
Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - Superintendent of the Australian Newspaper Mills
1965
Award - N. W. Jolly Medal, Institute of Foresters of Australia

Related Corporate Bodies

Related People

Archival resources

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Corporate Records and Archives Strategies

  • Louis Reginald Samuel Benjamin - Records, 1918 - 1928; Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Corporate Records and Archives Strategies. Details

Published resources

Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Exhibitions

Book Sections

  • Somerville, J. L., 'Benjamin, Louis Reginald Samuel (1892-1970), chemist and technologist' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch, Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1979), p. 264. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070263b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

  • Benjamin, L. R., 'The challenge of the eucalypts', Appita - Journal of the Australian Pulp and Paper Industry, 13 (3) (1959), 90-103. Details

Resources

See also

Gavan McCarthy; Ken McInnes

Created: 20 October 1993, Last modified: 29 May 2024

EOAS ID: biogs/P001531b.htm

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