Harvey Water Softeners opens new factory in Surrey

(12/01/2007)

The UK is now home to EU’s biggest manufacturer of domestic water softeners, following the opening of Harvey Water Softeners’ new Castle Works in Surrey, supported by Woking’s MP, Humfrey Malins and its Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr. John Kingsbury and Linda Kemeny.

Founder and current Chairman, Harvey Bowden, started the company in the garage of his house in 1978 and moved to the company’s original Old Woking premises in 1981. By 1985 the company had overtaken Permutit to become the largest manufacturer of water softeners in the UK.

Harvey Water Softeners is also a successful exporter, selling softeners throughout Belgium, France, Italy, Turkey, Sweden, Spain and Denmark in a joint business venture with Belgium-based HaLuTec and is currently expanding this sales and support operation across Europe, with a potential market of one million water softeners a year.

Harvey has always worked tirelessly to secure the future of the industry itself. In the 90s he was quick to recognise the potential threat posed by the intention to harmonise industry standards throughout the EU with the adoption of the German standard, which would have been disastrous for the UK industry.

Since then he has put enormous effort, time and money into ensuring that the UK industry is adequately represented on all the relevant EU standards committees. Harvey and his UK colleagues are now working with their counterparts from many other countries to fight bureaucracy and guard against the adoption of anticompetitive trade barrier standards.

Harvey has always had a hands-on approach to product development, right from his original modification of the basic US product to work with UK plumbing systems. In 1994 he introduced a softener that could be topped up with handy salt blocks instead of 25kg sacks of salt – and the development and launch of Harvey’s Block Salt.

He has built his business and reputation within the industry on traditional values. He is a familiar face on the shopfloor and most of the workforce has been with the company for many years - Managing Director, Cynthia Bromwich, for instance, has worked with Harvey for over 25 years. Its dealers have also supported the company through good and bad times and many dealerships, such as Patmore Water Softeners of Ipswich, are into their third generation.

The company launched its own Block Salt Softener in May 2001 and also now manufactures its own block salt as partners in The Block Salt Company Ltd.

Related categories:  Organisational changes   Residential applications   Water filters and softeners   Water treatment