Harvey Water Softeners was visited by HRH The Duke of Kent this week for the official presentation of the company’s Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation.
Staff and customers were joined by industry heads and local dignitaries at the company’s Woking headquarters for the Royal visit on March 5.
After being welcomed by Harvey’s founder Harvey Bowden and managing director Martin Hurworth, The Duke was treated to an example customer demonstration showing the benefits of softened water first-hand, including the ‘trademark’ Harvey softened water demonstration.
HRH was then given a tour of the factory and production line where thousands of domestic water softeners are made each year before presenting the award to Harvey and Martin in front of well-wishers and friends of the company built up over more than 40 years.
Rt Hon Jonathan Lord, MP for Woking, was there, along with Jeannie Satchell from the Local Enterprise Partnership Enterprise M3 and John Pearce, CEO of the manufacturing organisation Made in Britain, of which Harvey is a member.
Lord said: “What a great Woking business success story we have here. What began as one man with a dream is now the largest water softening company in Europe with 300 staff in Woking alone. It only goes to show what can be achieved when you develop the best product and have the drive and ambition to go out and sell it to the rest of the world.
“Harvey Water Softeners is an amazing example for local businesses. We don’t have huge amounts of manufacturing industries in this part of Surrey, but Harvey continues to lead the way and show what’s possible.”