Do the Scots take their water for granted? After all, it comesout the tap in reasonable condition, and we see enough of thestuff from one year to the next. What Scot would think of settingup a water company in a land of plenty? Well, the story ofHighland Spring doesn't start in Scotland but in the deserts ofArabia where water is the most precious commodity of all.Highland Spring was set up in 1979 by investment from The UnitedArab Emirates. Today, the company's total dedication to qualityis perhaps a reflection of the history of its founders; peoplewho could never take water for granted.
Highland Spring is found at the edge of the tinyvillage of Blackford, by the level crossing, opposite the signalbox that looks as if it were made by Hornby. Blackford sits in anatural basin in the Ochils of Perthshire. At the edge of town isthe sprucely maintained Tullibardine distillery, sadlymothballed, but witness to the quality and plentiful supplies ofwater that flow into the area.
This countryside is like an immense, gently sloping bowl withBlackford sitting in the centre. Climbing out of the valley thevistas lengthen first to hills, then to mountains, subtle hues ofgreens, browns and blues. This is fertile land, but walking upthe hill to the borehole is a strange experience. The land isdeserted, not a person in sight. There are no sheep or cows butmany other forms of wildlife even the occasional wildcat it isclaimed. Adrian Reid who is in charge of operations explains thatthe company spends millions to ensure that the water in thebottle is exactly the same as the water that comes out theground. As a natural mineral water Highland Spring mustconsistently match the composition it had when it was firstregistered in 1982. So the company has to protect the water onits 30 year journey as it rises through basalt and sandstone. Inorder to do this 2,000 acres of the catchment area have beenbought and apart from the occasional walker and security guard,no human activity takes place on this land. Nothing is allowed toaffect the water.
This quest for purity is echoed in the emptiness of the land,a quietness that stretches back to a time before people seriouslybegan to affect their environment.
Back down the hill, the inside of the factory is a differentplace altogether, modern, efficient and humming with humanactivity. We weren't allowed into the area where the water is putinto bottles. Those that work here operate in a strict sterileenvironment. Even the air is purified; strangers are not allowed.Once sealed the bottles leave this area and fly down the line tothe labelling machine. One machine alone labels over 32,000bottles per hour and the lines are operated by just a handful ofpeople. Yet it is the people who make the difference at HighlandSpring.
Twenty three years working for Bell's taught Adrian Reid athing or two about bottling but it was his apprenticeship in theMarines that taught him a thing or two about team building.Highland Spring's dedication to quality isn't directed from thetop, it is led from the bottom. The entire workforce run thecompany and quality is what they want. Beware any supplier thatdoesn't come up to scratch; they may have a team of lineoperators bearing down on them conducting an audit of theirprocedures and quality standards. If a member of staff isn'thappy about the labelling on another line he or she gets up andfixes it. Any employee who stops a shipment because there is aquestion on quality is a hero, not a villain. And, quality works.100% productivity days are the norm at Highland Spring.
Dorothy Senior, Technical Services Manager at Highland Spring,and also originally from the whisky industry, points out thatpeople are maybe not aware of the taste of chlorine and this inturn can throw the taste of any whisky. She spends many a momenttasting waters as we might whiskies and recommends that ourmembers taste the difference for themselves. If your wee dram inthe evening is more reminiscent of the local baths than theHighlands, perhaps it is the water that is to blame rather thanour tasting notes. After all, water is not something that any ofus can take for granted.
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