James McMillen joined Waikato Milking Systems in August 2023, beginning his journey as a Field Service Technician for the UK and Ireland. Through extensive travel, fault-finding, and commissioning, he gained valuable industry insights, which paved the way for his current role as Technical Support Ireland / Sales Ireland North.

Originally from Saintfield, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, James began his career in the Irish dairy sector just over four years ago, working with a milking machine dealer focused on DeLaval equipment. His early responsibilities included installations, retrofitting, system updates, and servicing. Towards the latter part of his time there, he expanded his expertise to Waikato Milking Systems’ products, gaining a deeper understanding of the company’s advanced technologies and operations.

Although James wasn’t raised on a dairy farm, he developed a passion for the industry by helping out on a neighbour’s farm as a child, where he first appreciated the milking process. To this day, he still enjoys lending a hand with dairy farming tasks on weekends and holidays. His first encounter with Waikato Milking Systems' products came while working as a dairy farm labourer near Ashburton, New Zealand. There, he grew to admire the simplicity and robustness of the company’s equipment, which eventually led him to join the company.

Reflecting on his transition, James shared that it was “interesting to see the process behind the development and manufacturing of the products,” as he had “previously only known it from an installer and end-user perspective.”

Looking ahead, James is excited about the ongoing advancements in the company’s technology. He added, “I’m very interested and excited for our future projects.”