Tributes paid to company chairman

Malcolm Dunphy

LEADING Shaw businessman Malcolm Dunphy MBE, who earned five prestigious Queen’s Awards For Industry, has died.

The father of four died on Saturday in Springhill Hospice, Rochdale, after a long battle against motor neurone disease.

Mr Dunphy was chairman of family business Dunphy Combustion, which he set up in 1964.

The Rochdale-based company is now being run by his eldest daughter, Sharon Kuligowski and her husband Eddie.

Mr Dunphy was an innovative and entrepreneurial engineer and led his business into international trading worldwide.

The company’s five Queen’s Awards were awarded for research and development work related to biofuels, energy conservation and manufacturing quality.

The father-of-four had many interests and supported local and national causes.

He was also chairman of both Rochdale’s Training and Enterprise council and the Chamber of Commerce.

A spokesman for the company, which employs around 90 people, said: “He was an innovator, an extrovert and had a tremendous sense of humour.

“He was fascinated by anything relating to engineering. He was very well thought of throughout the company and he was a good boss.”

Mr Dunphy leaves a widow, Breda, three daughters, a son and several grandchildren.

His funeral is on Monday, April 29, at Sacred Heart Church, Kingsway, Rochdale (10.30am), followed by interment at Crompton Cemetery.