Ipswich businessman Ron Gosling has died at the age of 74 after four years of treatment for cancer.

Mr Gosling was chairman of the Christy Turner group of companies that produces milling equipment that is exported around the world. He was passionate about engineering and business, and was President of the Ipswich Engineering Society twice, including the society’s centenary year.

He was also a director of the New Wolsey Theatre.

Mr Gosling joined local engineering business W G Gosling in 1969 after an apprenticeship at Reavells in Ipswich. In 1982 he became Managing Director of Gosling Group and E, R & F Turner.

Acquiring the Miracle Mills business in 1986 and adding the Christy Hunt business to the group in 2004, the multiple brands of W G Gosling, Christy & Norris, E, R & F Turner and Miracle Mills combined under the new Christy Turner brand.

In 2013, Mr Gosling became Chairman of the group of companies, and at a time when many Ipswich engineering firms were failing, he managed to drive the historic company into international success with timely innovation and development.

From introducing the first flaking mills with computerised roll-gap control, to developing a 600 ml roller mill that is sold worldwide to produce Cornflakes, Mr Gosling was proud to have succeeded in being at the heart of a thriving engineering business making machines that last.

His son Tony will be taking on the role of chairman. He said: “Dad prided himself on having a family feel to the business with high standards of engineering, craftmanship and honesty and care for staff. He was hard working, always busy. Dad has been my role model all my life and I will follow his example.”

Ron Gosling was also a director of the New Wolsey theatre in the early years of this century and was a keen amateur golfer - he was Captain of the Ipswich Golf Club in 2004.

He is survived by wife Pam, children Tony and Susie, daughter-in-law Huma and son-in-law Michael and grandchildren Rosie, Minnie, Lara and Ella.

His funeral service is at St Margaret’s Church, Ipswich on Thursday, December 23, at noon followed by a private burial at the Ipswich Millennium Cemetery.