Every piece of distillery equipment is an investment — and small decisions in design, commissioning, and maintenance can mean the difference between years of reliable service or costly downtime.

In this session, we’ll skip the jargon and share simple, proven engineering practices to reduce total cost of ownership, extend asset life, and minimise unforeseen risks. From choosing the right equipment to commissioning new assets and selecting the most effective maintenance strategies, you’ll leave with practical tips you can apply straight away — no engineering degree required.

Andrew Lewis studied Mechatronic Engineering at Canterbury University before joining Fonterra, where he spent eight years across multiple sites in roles spanning project management, commissioning, and reliability. A career highlight was leading the engineering side of commissioning a new $240 million mozzarella factory — while also discovering he could successfully work alongside his wife, Saskia, who was the technical lead. Today, Andrew and Saskia run Humdinger Gin, their distillery in Geraldine.