Ian graduated form the University of Manchester in 1996 where he studied mechanical engineering. After graduation, Ian joined IMI Plc on a graduate programme which gave him a broad range of manufacturing experience in the production of water heating systems and pneumatics. Later, Ian joined the research division of IMI Cornelius where he gained experience in the development and testing of a commercial water treatment system. Ian then became the global coordinator and technical support for the system’s field trial where he continued to develop data management and analysis skills.
Ian joined New House Textiles in 2001 to run the engineering department during the development and testing of a weaving technology system.
After a sabbatical, travelling the world, Ian returned to the UK to start a new career teaching engineering apprentices. During this time, Ian gained a Post-graduate Certificate, having studied advanced manufacturing techniques and aerospace materials, and researched the effect of temperature on carbon fibre composite during machining for his dissertation. Ian continued his academic studies and in 2021 gained his EngD by using a laser tracker to measure, model and correct the positional accuracy of an industrial robot for machining operations. His research was sponsored by Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence during which time he gained experience and qualifications in metrology. During this time, Ian also became a Lecturer and Curriculum Manager at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (University of Sheffield) before joining Hawkins in 2022.
