The Institute of Explosives Engineers recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary with a lunch at the Special Forces Club in London. It was a fantastic occasion and great to catch up with so many old friends and colleagues. Having served as President of the Institute in 2006 I fully appreciate the importance of gathering as many of the membership together as possible on a regular basis to reflect on the work the Institute has achieved but also to share and enjoy each other’s experiences.
By effectively harnessing the expertise of a diverse range of explosives related disciplines, the Institute has contributed much to the development and use of explosives since it was founded in 1974. Today’s Explosives Institute fraternity consists of engineers, scientists, logisticians, academics and legislators – many of them from the Forces. Overall the members are drawn from 25 different disciplines covering 20 industry sectors.
During my time as a member I have seen many new developments take shape within the industry that have been guided by the Institute in particular with regard to raising education and competency standards. Long may its good work continue.
