Meyer Averbuch MIET, July 1934 – September 2022
Published: Mon 12 Sep 2022
Meyer Averbuch, co-founder of one of Scotland’s oldest electronics and engineering companies, has died at the age of 88. He passed away at home in Joppa, Edinburgh, on 6 September, after a long battle with Parkinson’s. His family said it was his wish to donate his remains to research into the neurodegenerative disease.
Meyer, who co-founded Musselburgh-based ZOT Engineering, was born in Cape Town, South Africa. A toolmaker by trade, he emigrated to Israel, then London where he met his future wife Ainslie. Together they moved to Scotland, where he became Head of Toolmaking at Hewlett Packard’s factory in South Queensferry.
Known for a quick and analytical mind, Meyer was remembered by colleagues for his exceptional ability to understand machining processes, and his sense of adventure in toolmaking. “Meyer would try anything,” former HP colleague John Wastle recalled in his 2016 memoir, describing the tool shop’s brief foray into gravity die-casting, an especially explosive experiment that involved molten aluminium.
In the tradition of HP founders Bob Hewlett and Dave Packard, Meyer was ahead of his time in recognising the potential for electronics fabrication and precision engineering. With partner Robin Cross, Meyer founded ZOT Engineering in 1975, starting in a garage of his then Gilmerton home, and becoming one of East Lothian’s largest employers. ZOT continues to be one of Europe’s leading printed circuit board manufacturers.
A celebration of Meyer’s life is scheduled for 2pm, 27th September at Mortonhall Crematorium, Edinburgh. He is survived by his wife of more than sixty years, Ainslie; children Shaeron, Ralph and Euan; grandchildren Ben, Lola and Sally; sisters Annie and Taube; daughter-in-law Sheila and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that anyone wishing to leave a memorial consider donating in Meyer’s name to Parkinson’s UK.