Former Fracino engineer dies in climbing accident
AN experienced climber who spent seven years at coffee machine manufacturer Fracino until he left last month has died in a fall in the Cairngorms.
Peter Nielsen was with an organised party in the mountains when he fell. He was reached by the mountain rescue service and airlifted to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, where he died of his injuries.
He joined Fracino in 2009, initially on a short-term placement as a Wolverhampton University product design post-graduate student before becoming a research and development engineer.
Fracino’s managing director Adrian Maxwell said: “We were nearing completion of our first prototype for the domestic market and thought it would be useful to get a graduate’s perspective – and an excellent project for him to get involved with. Peter subsequently proved such a great asset that he was offered the post of junior product design engineer.
“He was an intelligent, talented, loyal dedicated member of staff and his department grew three-fold during his years here – before diligently putting everything in place for his successor to pick up the reins when he left, in February.
“Peter really was a rare breed; a gentleman, a scholar and a credit to his family of whom he often spoke. He will be sadly missed by everyone who had the good fortune to have known him.”
