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The final instalment of a four-part series by Weekly Advertiser editor Peter Miller on Ararat industry icon Peter Carthew, director of AME Systems...

Peter Carthew’s philosophy is simple if not pragmatic.

“People matter most,” Peter said.

“They are the fuel for what you create. I have always maintained you do nothing lest it be for people because no matter what you do in life you are servicing the needs of people.”

Peter said his company, AME Systems gets involved in interchange programs to find out what other Australian industries do better.

“There are many parallels to our business in the automotive industry so we often learn from each other. We also take the occasional bus load of staff to Kenworth’s assembly plant so they can see the harnesses they make being installed in the trucks. Seeing what the end result is helps them to understand the importance of their work.”

AME Systems often plays host to overseas visitors who want to find out more about the company’s management and production strategies which is further testament to what Peter and his fellow directors have created.

Christian Carthew inspects a harness wiring system

But now after 33 years of building wiring harnesses, Peter is taking his foot off the pedal and slipping on the cruise control. That “cruise control” is son Christian who will power the company while his father helps to steer.

Dropping the metaphors, Peter will look after the governance and future development while Christian manages the business.

Peter said he was looking at a whole new structure for the company while Christian told the Weekly Advertiser he was trying to absorb more of the cultural side of his father’s management.

“We have to forge new alliances and look further overseas to grow our current market,” Peter said.

“There will be changes in trade and technologies as well,” he said.

“For instance, fibre optical wiring for trucks is out and copper is now the way to go.”

Peter Carthew in his company office

Ararat’s retired manager of economic development, Russell Rachinger worked closely with Peter to try and maintain the Packard CTA partnership in Ararat. He described Peter as a people person.

“Peter’s a dynamic leader with all the attributes of a leader,” Russell said.

“He has got the ability to get things done and to get people to work around him,” he said.

“He mixes comfortably with ‘kings and paupers’. During the Packard CTA talks, we had meetings with all levels of government from Senator John Button down and Peter was just as comfortable there as talking with his staff on the floor of AME Systems.

One of Ararat’s most celebrated community workers, Diane Radford said her city had been enriched by Peter Carthew’s energetic involvement in a wide range of organisations, benefiting each with his leadership and generosity.”

“His commitment to the community really shone when in 2003 he conceived and promoted the idea of the Ararat Family Home project and together with some 400 tradesman, suppliers, individuals, organisations and local government built a four bedroom family home which raised $190,000 for the new Ararat Hospital ,” Diane said. Peter’s life revolves around contributing to the well being of the whole community, he is unassuming and simply reflects the spirit of Ararat.”

Despite stepping back from his complete management role, Peter will have no problem maintaining a busy lifestyle in Ararat. He is on several committees and is a community man in the truest sense of the term.

He and wife Lyn also find endless pleasure from their annual trips to the outback in their four-wheel drive.

“There’s a group of us who are all nature lovers and lovers of adventure and for three decades or so we have been getting together every year for our outback sojourns,” Peter said.