Achi news desk-
In addition, the company, which has over 60 years of experience, supplies the filters that purify the air around the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London, protecting them from harmful gases.
“We’re just going about our business quietly but you can find our products everywhere, even guarding the Crown Jewels,” says sales director for Scotland and Ireland, Kevin English. “We were asked to supply a filtration system after corrosive gases were found in the air around them.”
Air filtration systems are only part of the 3000 filter products that the company, which deals with their global manufacturers, can supply.
First established in the North East of England in 1962 to supply the steel and chemical industries on the Teesside with filtration products, the company has since expanded to Ireland, Scotland and the rest of the UK and now has a turnover of £ 16m, with around £2m of stock at any one time, which means products can be supplied quickly when needed.
It is still a family business with just under 50 employees, many of whom have been with the company for a long period of service averaging 16 years and have years of experience in the market, enable not only to supply products but also to advise on the best ones to use.
In Scotland, the business supplies almost 70 per cent of the whiskey makers with filter products as well as pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline.
It is also involved in the emerging biopharm sector in Scotland which is developing vaccines and other drugs.
“The Covid pandemic showed how important vaccines are and to get them right you have to have first class filtration,” says Kevin. “Filtering is always the last line of defense in any product as it purifies them and makes them clean and sterile. In terms of the biofarm sector, it is so important that these vaccines they produce are of a high standard. You talk about 0.2micron filtration to make it sterile and a micron is so small that you can’t see it at all with the naked eye with 40 micron being the lower limit of human vision. It’s really very filtering.”
The company sources sterile filters and integrity testing devices that comply with the most rigorous tests and standards from the largest filter manufacturers worldwide.
“Our carefully sourced products ensure that processes and systems are always consistent, reliable and testable,” says Kevin. “Curating the best performing filters from global brands ensures we can act as a single source of supply and always have the right filters for the job in stock.”
Unlike the manufacture of drugs and vaccines where filtering is required to ensure the product is safe and sterile, filtering whiskey is purely for cosmetic purposes while retaining the body of the spirit.
However, it is equally valuable as consumers want a clear product rather than a cloudy one.
“It’s important that the brand looks as perfect as possible when it comes to the point of sale,” says Kevin. “It might not be as fine a filter in whiskey as it is for chemicals but it’s just as essential, especially when you’re talking about the value of some of that spirit.”
In Scotland, John Morfield is based at Strathclyde Business Park and supplies William Grant at the same site.
“When we started in Scotland we discovered that William Grant’s were having problems with their various suppliers. By providing them with our single source supply solution, we were able to solve all their problems and provide them with a more consistent supply chain. This has led to a relationship of over 20 years.” said Kevin. “We probably deal with around 60-70 per cent of the main whiskey producers in Scotland, from the new distillers like the Isle of Harris distillery to the big players like William Grant and Glenmorangie so we we are well versed in spirit filtering.
“We have good geographical coverage and we always invest back into the business and into the people and I think that shows as our staff retention is very good.”
Kevin added: “At John Morfield we’ve always gone that extra mile to go above and beyond, which is why we also employ full-time technicians and engineers as well as working closely with suppliers to help solve process problems and reduce operating costs.
“Our sales engineers were specifically recruited from the industries we now serve to ensure they can provide you with practical knowledge and experience. Working with some of the world’s leading filter manufacturers enables us to provide clients with new and innovative products at the forefront of filter technology.
“Our technical support includes troubleshooting existing installations or recommending a complete filtration system designed to specific requirements. Our in-house team supports and complements our on-site technical support. We also provide on-site training in all aspects of filtration – from technical issues to the safe installation and servicing of all filter types in our supply filter trials.”
www.johnmorfield.co.uk
