It was September 1970 when a young lad named Ian Pinfield (Pinny) entered Froude for the first time eager to start his apprenticeship. Froude was a well-known large company with 1,400 employees and an excellent place to learn and gain experience. It also felt familiar, as two previous generations of his family worked there. Little did he know that he would be continuing for five decades. “I enjoyed it so much, I stuck with the company,” said Pinny.
Upon completion of his apprenticeship in 1974, Pinny became a skilled universal grinder in the machine shop and then transferred to the numerical control department as a machinist in 1977. In 1995, he became a machinist fitter.
“When I joined Froude, there were up to ten dynamometers being built simultaneously by two fitters,” recalls Pinny. “I experienced many changes as the company moved locations, changed ownerships, and evolved. What remained consistent is the product — the quality, the design and lifespan continued as a constant throughout Froude’s past and present.”
Pinny appreciates that he was able to experience many interesting places in the world thanks to Froude, including building the LS295 at Yichang Marine Diesel Engine Ltd in China. “I will miss the many friends, colleagues and of course the customers I met during service calls.”
What’s next? His plan is to travel the country, work on hobbies and volunteer at Gloucester and Warwick Railway Preservation society.
Ian Pinfield Retires!
