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Foodmach recently held a function for staff at its Echuca factory where chief executive officer Earle Roberts officially revealed a cast bronze plaque for the late Peter Marks.

Foodmach chairman Geoff Murdoch also presented Echuca Regional Health with a donation towards its new Cancer and Wellness Centre.

Mr Roberts said the plaque commemorates a legendary man who was integral to Foodmach’s stellar growth and success over the past five decades.

“The loss of Peter affected us all deeply. We wanted to dedicate a green space at our factory to keep him in our hearts and minds, and also to help other cancer patients through their treatment,” he said.

Mr Marks’ family were present to pull the curtain on the cast bronze sign and to witness the donation for the state-of-the-art treatment space.

Echuca Regional Health chief executive officer Robyn Lindsay said the new centre was designed to provide a calm and welcoming environment for patients and families with a focus on physical and emotional wellbeing.

“Cancer patients will be able to receive support and treatment from our multi-disciplinary team to ensure optimal treatment,” she said.

“We are grateful to Foodmach for this generous donation.”

Mr Roberts said the donation was reflective of the company’s commitment to the community.

Foodmach also donated $6000 to a staff member’s Leukaemia Foundation fundraiser earlier this year.

The company is Australia’s largest packaging machinery integrator, currently working on four filling lines for a $33 million project at BWX Ltd and the country’s most complex high-speed filling line at Pernod Ricard Wines.

Mr Marks held the position as director of Capability and Export for the company and was a central figure in the Australian packaging industry for decades.

He started with Foodmach in 1977 and, together with four co-workers, led a management buy-out in 2002.

In his 44 years with the company, he worked in design, manufacturing, project management, installations, sales, estimating and R&D.

Foodmach operations director Dallas Coote said Mr Marks was passionate, ambitious, creative, and pushed the limits in everything he did.

“Peter was well known and well respected around the industry in Australia and overseas,” he said.

“He was a great person to be around and he had a terrific sense of humour. He was caring, optimistic and always sharing his knowledge. He is very much missed.”

Mr Marks’ career highlight was the award-winning Robomatrix, which set the standard for high-speed palletising and fast product changeovers in Australia.

He was also the driving force behind Foodmach’s recent project for Med-Con, which saw the company re-engineering Australia’s only medical mask machine in 60 days.

Project Med-Con won a COVID-19 response award for the business earlier this year.

Mr Marks died on February 10, 2021 at the age of 66.

He is survived by his wife Maggie, daughter Steph and son, Cameron.

Mr Marks’ work was acknowledged by being selected as a finalist for a Service to Industry award in the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards.

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