Sticht, Robert Carl (Jnr) (1895? - 1958)

Summary

Robert Sticht (Jnr) was involved in the chemical industry of Australia for over thirty years. He became Chief Chemical Engineer of the Commonwealth Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd from 1937. He held that position until his death which was the result of an accident at the Yarraville factory. Sticht was President of the Society of Chemical Industry of Victoria (1946-1948) and Chairman of an educational sub-committee of the Victorian Branch of the Chemical Institute which in 1951 published a comprehensive report on chemical engineering education in Australia.

Details

Educated at the California Institute of Technology (BSc), Robert Carl Sticht (Jnr) served with the American Engineers during World War I. He was discharged at the rank of lieutenant in 1919. Sticht came to Australia and worked in the flotation plant at Mount Lyell Chemical Works in Yarraville, Victoria and in a small western Tasmanian mine. He progressed to Chemist at Mount Lyell and then an Engineer at the Company's Fremantle factory. From 1929 Sticht was Chief Engineer at Cuming Smith & Mount Lyell Farmers Fertilizers Limited. He returned to Melbourne in1937 to take charge of the installation of major works at Yarraville. He became Chief Chemical Engineer of Commonwealth Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited while still holding a similar appointment with the Western Australian company. During this time he designed and installed various projects associated with munitions production during World War II, contributed to the sulphuric acid and superphosphate industries after the war, and was responsible for the installation of a new superphosphate factory at Albany (Western Australia) from 1951.

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Resources

• 'Sticht, Robert Carl (1895-1958)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1474273. Details