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H. W. Gepp
Sir Herbert William Gepp (pron. "Jepp") (28 September 1877 – 14 April 1954) was an Australian industrial chemist, businessman and public servant.
Gepp was born in Adelaide, a son of William John Gepp (1843 – 27 March 1915) and his wife Marian Gepp, née Rogers (c. 1848 – 11 May 1915).
He was educated at public schools, and won a scholarship to attend Prince Alfred College, but despite a fine academic record and sharing the Longbottom Scholarship in 1893, was unable to proceed to Adelaide University due to straitened family circumstances. He joined the Australian Explosives and Chemical Co., Deer Park, Victoria, as a cadet in 1893, and in 1896 studied chemistry part-time under Professor Masson at Melbourne University. In 1897 the company was taken over by Alfred Nobel's Explosives and Chemical Co. and in 1898, still classified as a junior chemist, Gepp was sent to the new parent company's headquarters in Glasgow for two years, and a few years after his return was promoted to manager of the Melbourne factory.
In 1905, he accepted the position of first manager of the Broken Hill sulphuric acid manufacturing plant which was about to be commissioned for the Zinc Corporation, largely owned by Clark & Robinson and the big London firm of Bewick, Moreing, and Company, then resigned 1907 due to ill-health.
In March 1907, he took over management of the De Bavay Treatment Co., Ltd's zinc concentration plant, and worked on development of the froth flotation process. In 1909 the company became Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) Limited with offices in Melbourne and London.
At the outbreak of war in 1914 Gepp led a volunteer rifle company at Broken Hill, and enlisted with the First AIF. He underwent training with the 12th company Field Engineers at Fort Largs. He was however commandeered by Billy Hughes and William Baillieu to encourage the US use of Australian zinc concentrates, and by Andrew Fisher to investigate munitions manufacture.
While in America, Gepp recruited Charles M. Warner of the Dwight-Lloyd Company, suppliers of roasting equipment; Guy C. Riddell of A. S. & R., East Helena, Montana; and Gilbert Rigg of New Jersey Zinc to assist with new zinc works going up at Broken Hill, Port Pirie and Hobart. Under Gepp's direction, Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) founded a subsidiary, Electrolytic Zinc to produce zinc metal in Risdon, Tasmania from Broken Hill and Port Pirie concentrate using the plentiful and cheap hydroelectric power then available. In 1917 he was appointed general manager of the new company, and with support from Baillieu steered the factory through its difficult trial phases. He led the design and construction of a pilot plant, scaled it up to ten tons of 99.95% purity zinc metal per week then a 100-ton plant in 1918. Chief research chemist at the Risdon works was Roland D. Williams, who was with Gepp in Broken Hill.
In 1926, Gepp entered a new phase, as a public servant.
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H. W. Gepp
Sir Herbert William Gepp (pron. "Jepp") (28 September 1877 – 14 April 1954) was an Australian industrial chemist, businessman and public servant.
Gepp was born in Adelaide, a son of William John Gepp (1843 – 27 March 1915) and his wife Marian Gepp, née Rogers (c. 1848 – 11 May 1915).
He was educated at public schools, and won a scholarship to attend Prince Alfred College, but despite a fine academic record and sharing the Longbottom Scholarship in 1893, was unable to proceed to Adelaide University due to straitened family circumstances. He joined the Australian Explosives and Chemical Co., Deer Park, Victoria, as a cadet in 1893, and in 1896 studied chemistry part-time under Professor Masson at Melbourne University. In 1897 the company was taken over by Alfred Nobel's Explosives and Chemical Co. and in 1898, still classified as a junior chemist, Gepp was sent to the new parent company's headquarters in Glasgow for two years, and a few years after his return was promoted to manager of the Melbourne factory.
In 1905, he accepted the position of first manager of the Broken Hill sulphuric acid manufacturing plant which was about to be commissioned for the Zinc Corporation, largely owned by Clark & Robinson and the big London firm of Bewick, Moreing, and Company, then resigned 1907 due to ill-health.
In March 1907, he took over management of the De Bavay Treatment Co., Ltd's zinc concentration plant, and worked on development of the froth flotation process. In 1909 the company became Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) Limited with offices in Melbourne and London.
At the outbreak of war in 1914 Gepp led a volunteer rifle company at Broken Hill, and enlisted with the First AIF. He underwent training with the 12th company Field Engineers at Fort Largs. He was however commandeered by Billy Hughes and William Baillieu to encourage the US use of Australian zinc concentrates, and by Andrew Fisher to investigate munitions manufacture.
While in America, Gepp recruited Charles M. Warner of the Dwight-Lloyd Company, suppliers of roasting equipment; Guy C. Riddell of A. S. & R., East Helena, Montana; and Gilbert Rigg of New Jersey Zinc to assist with new zinc works going up at Broken Hill, Port Pirie and Hobart. Under Gepp's direction, Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) founded a subsidiary, Electrolytic Zinc to produce zinc metal in Risdon, Tasmania from Broken Hill and Port Pirie concentrate using the plentiful and cheap hydroelectric power then available. In 1917 he was appointed general manager of the new company, and with support from Baillieu steered the factory through its difficult trial phases. He led the design and construction of a pilot plant, scaled it up to ten tons of 99.95% purity zinc metal per week then a 100-ton plant in 1918. Chief research chemist at the Risdon works was Roland D. Williams, who was with Gepp in Broken Hill.
In 1926, Gepp entered a new phase, as a public servant.