Ken Ludlam
It is with regret we advise the passing of KEN LUDLAM on 3 Nov 2009, aged 73 years.
Ken lived in Otaki for most of his life, 50 years with wife Joan. He was mayor of Otaki and Ludlam Way was named in his honour.
Ken joined the Waikanae Shingle Co in 1953 driving a 10RB dragline. After 3 years at age 20, he became Manager and the following year moved to the Otaki Plant as Quarry Manager with Golden Bay Cement, a position he held for ten years.
In those days they used a Fordson Major with a quarter-yard bucket on the front.
He continued as Quarry Manager for another 9 years with Waikanae Shingle until his appointment in 1980 as Area Manager of the Otaki operations of Winstone Aggregates. After Ken retired in 2001, former Quarries Inspector, Andrew Robertson, described in the Quarry magazine how he was instrumental in its expansion from a gravel operation with a small quarry at Waikanae to an area covering five different sites and with five quarry managers reporting to him.
Ken also spent several years assisting with the development of the Industry Training and Education Programme, on the ExITO board when it first formed until he resigned in August 1996.
He has been a member of the Institute of Quarrying since June 1975, joining as a “Graduate Member” and was NZ Branch Chairman (see above photo) from 1989-1991. In 1989, Ken hosted Sir Rupert Bromley as speaker for the Jim Macdonald Lecture Tour held that year. In 1990 his Institute of Quarrying membership was upgraded to ‘Fellow’
We feel privileged to have known Ken as a polite, warm, caring man, who never swore, and simply got on with life in a purposeful manner. He will be missed by his many friends and colleagues. Our thoughts are particularly with Joan and family – Lance, Deborah, Scott and Amanda.