I have been working in the refractory Industry for the last 12 years and a member of the IRE for most of that time, I am very proud to have served on the council and ultimately become President of the Institute.
I graduated in 1999 with a degree in European Business from the University of Lincoln and in 2012 with an MBA from Rutgers University in the US. After my undergraduate degree I entered another niche industry; that of adhesive tapes. This career took me all over the world with a final placement in Beijing as General Manager of a company producing components for the electronics industry.
Upon returning to the UK I searched for a new career and was offered a Sales position with Asmet UK Ltd covering their Iron foundry market in France, this developed into responsibility for the refractory raw materials market. After 8 years there I went on to join Alkegen covering the UK and Nordic regions selling a variety refractory products and materials
Being a member of the IRE has benefitted me greatly in terms of the people I have met, the network I have created and the industry knowledge that I have gained. A stated goal of the Institute is to help our members to access the science, technology and skills they need to excel in the refractory industry, I feel a great sense of responsibility to make sure that this happens and is available for all who wish to access it.
I feel encouraged by the number of young people we see involved in the IRE and it is a privilege to help them along in the industry until it is their turn to take over the mantel. I am equally encouraged by the continued presence of experienced refractory professionals who are willing to share their knowledge through the IRE.
Finally I am looking forward to building on the positive changes we have made to the IRE over the last few years and to continue to build our technical offering to members. We will be kicking off this pledge in April with an extended version of the popular technical evening.
Thanks and look forward to working with you all in the coming years.
Dominic Oates