Walter Hoormann specializes in many fields of mechanical engineering, in particular materials handling technology.

He studied general mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Hannover (later Hannover University). After several years in which he first worked as an R&D engineer, and then as a scientific assistant professor at the Technical University of Hannover, he wrote his doctorate thesis in the area of vibration/oscillation handling technology, particularly the damping of conveyed material, and the mass coupling thereof. He has lectured for many years on intellectual property law at the Wilhelms-University in Münster.