Technews' founder dies - Obituary: Ray Beaumont 22/09/27-28/09/01
November 2001
News
It is with sadness that we announce the death of our Founder Publisher, Raymond Beaumont. Ray was an inspirational doyen of the technical press in South Africa. Leaving the safety of an academic career in 1973, he and his partner, Tom Beattie, independently founded Pulse Publications. A true entrepreneur, Ray's vision for a magazine which would do justice to the budding local electronics industry, combined with his unbounded energy and professionalism, proved very successful. In the 1970s and early '80s, his journal, Pulse, became number one in electronics engineering publishing.
After selling his company, Ray worked for a while with the Communications Group, heading up their Technical Press division. During this time he initiated and edited Dataweek. Always happier working independently, however, he elected in 1985 to buy Dataweek and house it in his own new company, Technews. Again, Ray's entrepreneurial qualities shone through, and by the middle of the 1980s, Dataweek had become the dominant electronics journal in South Africa. The key lay in his keen appreciation of the need to marry technical reliability with the needs of the market. But it also lay in his unwavering belief in the need to conduct business ethically. Ray went on to found a host of other award-winning magazines, including SA Instrumentation & Control, CG and Hi-Tech Security Solutions, all of which still constitute the core of the Technews stable. Some four years ago Ray retired, a step which was not at all easy for him to take! His work, however, was not yet over, and he continued - quietly - to play a valuable mentoring role in this proudly independent, family-owned business.
We miss Ray. His legacy, however, will live on. There is no doubt that he played a vital role in the history of trade and technical publishing in South Africa. And there is no doubt that the compass he bequeathed to Technews will continue to lead us in the right direction as we embrace the challenges of a rapidly changing publishing environment. We salute you Ray, our founder and our mentor, even in your death.
The Publisher
Further reading:
Reinstatement opportunity for ECSA registration
News
In 2023 the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) announced a special opportunity for engineers in South Africa to reinstate their registration status if it had been cancelled. This exclusive offer is available until the end of August 2024.
Read more...
Modular training workstation for Bosch Rexroth
Bosch Rexroth Africa
News
To enhance its training services and address the shortage of hydraulic and pneumatic skills across the continent, Bosch Rexroth Africa’s training department has unveiled a state-of-the-art modular training workstation.
Read more...
Pepperl+Fuchs Channel Partner Conference
Pepperl+Fuchs
News
Pepperl+Fuchs recently hosted its Channel Partner Conference. Under the theme ‘Together, Breaking Ground in Africa’, the conference served as both a celebration of partnerships and a strategic forum focused on future growth.
Read more...
ACTOM opens new training centre for apprentices
ACTOM Electrical Machines
News
ACTOM has opened a new training centre facility that offers a variety of apprenticeship programmes.
Read more...
Bühler celebrates expansion, innovation and sustainability
News
Bühler has marked another milestone in its dedication to regional support with the expansion of its Cape Town Service Centre. Hosting its annual customer day, the company showcased the facility’s new offerings and highlighted its commitment to service excellence, local innovation, and sustainability.
Read more...
Galvanising Africa: the HDGASA’s bridging role in promoting hot dip galvanising in Africa
News
Africa is poised for massive expansion in the power, energy, and communications spheres, and hot dip galvanising is firmly entrenched as a preferred corrosion control technology in these sectors.
Read more...
From the editor's desk: First break it, then fix it
Technews Publishing (SA Instrumentation & Control)
News
Welcome to another year with
SA Instrumentation & Control. May it be a happy and healthy one where you can rise to the challenges ahead and still enjoy all the good things we have in this country.
...
Read more...
SEW-EURODRIVE’s new service and repair centre
SEW-EURODRIVE
News
As part of its strategy to ‘close the loop’ in its service offering, SEW-EURODRIVE has broken ground on a new 17 000 m
2 Service and Repair Centre. The establishment of the state-of-the-art facility plugs the gap for expert repair services for gearboxes in Africa.
Read more...
EtherCAT Technology Group holds its annual Plug Fest
News
The 2024 EtherCAT Plug Fest of the EtherCAT Technology Group offered participants a valuable opportunity to test the interoperability of their 9 EtherCAT MainDevices and 10 EtherCAT SubDevices. Using the knowledge gained, they will be able to improve compatibility and optimise their products for use in the field.
Read more...
Leading the way in industrial automation and digital transformation
Iritron
News
As a pioneering engineering, integration, and manufacturing firm, Iritron has built a reputation as a trusted partner in critical industries such as mining, energy and manufacturing. By embedding innovation and expertise into its four foundational pillars, the company continues to deliver tailored solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern industry.
Read more...
printer friendly version