It is with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of our founder and former MD, Dr Geoffrey Walton on Tuesday. Our thoughts are with his family.
Geoff developed the DustScan business concept with the University of Leeds in a Teaching Company Scheme (TCS) project back in the year 2000, when he was a partner at the Geoffrey Walton Practice (now GWP Consultants LLP) and a visiting Professor of Mining at the University. The DustScan methodology was subsequently validated through work funded by the Mineral Industry Sustainable Technology (MIST) award, and the DustScan directional dust monitoring system was launched at the Hillhead quarrying exhibition in 2003, initially as a service offered by the Geoffrey Walton Practice. Geoff established DustScan as a standalone business back in January 2004, when he left the Practice and took the DustScan monitoring service with him.
Geoff held strong liberal beliefs, and this may have influenced his decision to transfer the shares of his business into an Employee-Ownership Trust (EOT), and transition DustScan into an employee-owned business in 2018. Geoff remained our Chairman until 2021 when our EOT was able to complete our business purchase, and Geoff retired to tend to his much-loved garden and grandchildren.
Geoff was incredibly knowledgeable about geology and well respected in the minerals industry, having forged a highly successful 40+ year career in surface mining and quarrying including the management of design, geotechnical and environmental issues. He was a fierce believer in maintaining our links to academia and professional development, beliefs we continue to hold true today.
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