Beginnings of the IICA

In the early 1940's, Paul Crivelli, at that time General Manager of ABACUS Instrument Co., arranged a regular monthly Luncheon with a number of Melbourne men involved in instrumentation.

Following a discussion with instrument company representatives on 20 July 1943, a public meeting was called for 24 August 1943 at which a motion for the formation of The Australian Society of Instrument Technology (A.S.I.T.) was passed. It is believed that this was the first national technical society in the world to be formed specifically to deal with instrumentation only.

The meeting elected as President, Dr P L Henderson, the Chief Chemist of Monsanto (Australia) Pty Ltd, and as Vice President, Dr N B Lewis, the Chief Chemist of Kodak (Australasia) Pty Ltd. Mr P A Crivelli was elected as Honorary Secretary.

During 1944 several members travelled to Sydney and addressed a gathering of instrument people there, as a result of which, the Australian Institute of Instrument Technology (A.I.I.T.) was formed in Sydney.

The two organizations subsequently agreed to produce the Australian Journal of Instrument Technology as the official organ of both bodies, management of the Journal being arranged by A.S.I.T.

In 1953 a South Australian Division of A.S.I.T. was formed.

Negotiations between A.S.I.T. and A.I.I.T. took place and on 11 June 1957 the A.I.I.T. at a Special General Meeting resolved to amalgamate with A.S.I.T. to form the Society of Instrument Technology Australia and in November 1957 The Society of Instrument Technology Australia was Incorporated under the Victorian Companies Act.

The two founder bodies continued negotiations and on 25 March 1958, at an Extraordinary General Meeting at Royal Melbourne Technical College A.S.I.T. passed a motion authorising its Committee 'to wind up the affairs of A.S.I.T. and transfer all its assets to the Victorian Division of the Society of Instrument Technology Australia (S.I.T.A.) when it deems fit'. The two founder bodies ceased to exist on 1 January 1959 and Mr R B Pearson of ICIANZ became the first President of the new amalgamated Society of Instrument Technology Australia.

On 10 November 1966, the name of the amalgamated body was officially changed to the Institute of Instrumentation and Control Australia. Following transition from the Companies Act to the Associations Incorporation Act, the Institute became the Institute of Instrumentation and Control Australia, Inc, and in July 2003, recognising the other interests of many members, the Institute of Instrumentation, Control and Automation Australia Inc, retaining the IICA acronym.

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