From high school workshop to business owner

In a small workshop on the outskirts of town, Peter Smith of Porter Engineering is doing what he has always wanted to do, building high-quality steel components he can genuinely be proud of.

At just 22, he is already running a business that services major clients across the food, pharmaceutical, and water industries. But for Peter, it was never about building a company profile, it was about creating something he could stand behind.

A fear of welding that sparked a career

Peter laughs when he remembers being too scared to weld back in Year 9. “I used to get my friends to do the welding for me,” he says.

One morning a work-experience opportunity came up and he decided to take a chance: “I just put my hand up and went, I’ll see what it’s like.” Three days later he was offered an apprenticeship. He was only 15 when he left school to take it, a decision his mum needed some convincing on, but one that ultimately set him on his path.

“Working alongside older guys who’d been doing this for decades, you learn so much, not just how to do the job, but how to do it right.”

Building a business around quality

The inspiration for Porter Engineering was straightforward: Peter wanted to make things properly, without being restricted by production lines and time pressures. “In the industry, everything’s about getting stuff out fast. You’re always up against the clock, and quality can take a back seat. I started Porter so I could focus on doing things the right way, really taking pride in the work.”

Two years on, Porter Engineering is known for its attention to detail and reliability. The team, a close-knit group of four or five who rotate between the workshop and on-site jobs, met mostly through work and TAFE. “A lot of them were mates looking for something new. They wanted to work somewhere where quality actually mattered.”

Pride in every project

Asked about a project he is particularly proud of, Peter doesn’t hesitate. “About a month ago we completed an extruder manifold for a food-manufacturing facility. It was one of those rare projects where we had the freedom to do it properly, no budget pressures, just good work.”

He even showed it to one of the old tradesmen he used to work with. “He looked at it and said, that’s a really nice bit of quality work. That meant a lot.”

Lessons in leadership

Running a growing business hasn’t been without challenges. Like many small engineering firms, Porter has faced its share of headaches with cash flow and hiring. “Finding people who care about the work, that’s the hardest part. There are plenty of tradesmen out there, but not everyone’s passionate about it. Some just want the paycheck. You can tell pretty quickly who’s in it for real.”

That commitment to craft and culture shows in how he runs his team. Every year they celebrate with a barbecue, not a big corporate event, just a small, genuine get-together. “It’s a good time to stop, have a beer, and look back on what we’ve built together.”

Looking ahead

Peter’s vision is clear: grow sustainably while protecting the quality that has defined them from day one. “Ideally I’ll have enough people that I can step back a bit, focus on the management side, while the guys run the jobs to the same standards we’ve always had.”

He’s already looking to bring on a draftsperson to manage drawings and another tradesperson for the workshop. But at his core, Peter is still driven by the same thing that first got him into the trade, the satisfaction of creating something that lasts.

“Every time I stand back and look at what we’ve finished, I think, yeah, I made that. That’s what it’s all about.”