Sir David McMurty: A Visionary Engineer, Inventor and Leader

Today Renishaw, the British technology leader and manufacturer has announced the death of its Co-Founder and Non-Executive Director, Sir David McMurty.

Aged 84, Sir David first founded Renishaw in 1973 in Wotton-Under-Edge, England with fellow Rolls-Royce engineer John Deer. 

Since then Renishaw has grown into a global organisation, with operations spanning 36 countries accruing £691.3m (US$884m).

Sir David harnessed his engineering talent and business acumen to make this possible, both of which have been prominent over the course of his career. 

An engineering prodigy

Sir David was always involved in engineering. Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1940 he initially trained as an apprentice in the UK aerospace industry.

Years later he'd co-found Renishaw, a move which emerged from his desire to commercialise his invention, a 3D touch-trigger probe used to co-ordinate measuring machines.

He'd invented this probe previously to solve measurement problems involved in the manufacture of Rolls-Royce's Olympus engines that powered the Concorde supersonic aircraft.

Sir David's capacity to innovate and problem-solve led to him being extensively promoted in the 17 years he spent working at Rolls-Royce, rising to become Deputy Chief Designer and the company's youngest ever Assistant Chief of Engine Design. 

He was responsible for 47 patents at Rolls-Royce and went on to be named on more than 200 patents for Renishaw innovations.

These innovations included the development of co-ordinate measuring machines, shopfloor metrology and process control which have since revolutionised manufacturing. 

Today tool setting and inspection probes that automate laborious measurement tasks are a common feature of the machine shop.

But in the 1970's, these applications were brand new and truly visionary.

With his strategic business expertise, Sir David directed Renishaw to diversify into other areas of automation, manufacturing and metrology, pursuing ventures in additive manufacturing, neurosurgery and encoders and calibration systems. 

His capacity to approach scientific concepts from a lateral thinking made him unmatched as an engineer and strategic leader.

Growing Renishaw globally

Sir David did more however than just grow Renishaw. 

He also imbued the company with an outlook and approach that was distinctive to its competitors, one which it continues to operate with today. 

Renishaw prioritises long-term investment, avoids outsourcing manufacturing, pursues technology to address real world problems and seeks to treat customers and local communities as true partners. 

Sir David and John Deere created this culture, one which remains present in Renishaw's values of integrity and commitment. 

“Renishaw is a very special business with a highly successful business model and a very exciting future," commented Sir David earlier this year.

The recipient of many awards

Sir David was known to be a reserved man, who was more comfortable speaking to young engineers than making public speeches.

He notably avoided publicity- a challenging thing to do, with the amount of awards he received.

These included a Knighthood "for services to Design and Innovation" and an appointment as Royal Designer for Industry in 1989. 

Sir David has been celebrated extensively across the UK. For example in 2013 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the economy of the Bristol city region and at the National Business Awards he was honoured with The Telegraph award for a Decade of Business Achievement, the first head of an engineering business to be granted this award.

In April 2014, during the MACH exhibition, Sir David was also awarded the inaugural MWP Lifetime Achievement Award which honours an individual who has made a significant contribution to the UK’s manufacturing industry.

In 2019, The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) awarded Sir David the James Watt International Gold Medal for his outstanding contribution to mechanical engineering, the highest award that the industry can bestow and that a mechanical engineer can receive.

But arguably some of his most standout awards come from abroad due to the way they highlight his exceptional scale of achievement.

For example he was awarded the 7th ND Marketing Award in 1990, a Japanese award given to outstanding executives in the metal forming industry.

Sir David was the first non-Japanese winner of this prestigious award ever.

Similarly, the official magazine of the US Society of Manufacturing Engineers also honoured him as a ‘Master of Manufacturing’- making him the first non-US citizen to achieve this recognition.

Sir David was extensively involved in the manufacturing sector during his life, serving as a Fellow of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of the American Society of Manufacturing Engineers, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

A true leader of industry, he steered both the future of Renishaw the wider manufacturing sector, making today a day of loss for many.

Sir David will be greatly missed by so many, including the generations of Renishaw engineers who he inspired and mentored," said Renishaw in a statement.

"The manufacturing industry has lost a great innovator and many at Renishaw have lost a father figure and a friend."

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