The Transition

1. You’ve worked within David Kellett and Partners for some time before stepping into the Managing Director role. What does it mean to now be leading the business as part of the management buyout?  Firstly, it’s been a privilege to have the opportunity to follow in David’s footsteps. He has built the company from scratch over the last 30+ years to what it is today, a well-respected name in the cheese and whey processing industry. Being able to take that legacy on with a view to maintain and grow in the future is an opportunity that few would ever be lucky enough to receive. Watching how David has conducted business with the company has been quite the learning curve.
2. One of the strengths of an internal transition is continuity. How important was it that the next stage of the business remained connected to the company’s existing culture and technical foundations? Our business is built on the relationships we have with our customers. We have a mutual trust and respect with all of our customers so continuing with that into the future is very important. We’ve built those relationships over a long period of time, and we hope to only strengthen them going forward by showing our continued support and proficiency in the industry.
3. David Kellett and Partners has built its reputation over more than 30 years. What do you feel are the core principles that have remained constant throughout that time? I feel we are well trusted within our industry. That trust comes from reliable and honest business. Sometimes this can mean advising our customers to rethink their plans, potentially to our detriment, but always in the interest of giving the best advice to help our customers succeed. I think that our customers really value that approach of honest business and it’s certainly a philosophy that we will follow into the future.

Industry & Technical Perspective

1. The dairy industry continues to evolve rapidly. What changes are you seeing most prominently within dairy processing today? There seems to be a definite drive towards improved water quality and reduced effluent. These both go hand in hand. Water polishing and reuse is an area that previously has been neglected, but as all service costs continue to rise, water is now something that cannot be ignored.
2. Membrane systems remain a key part of the company’s work. How has the role of membrane technology changed since you first joined the business? There seems to be a wider range of products now being processed using membrane technology. More variants with different constituents make for more challenging configurations of membrane plant.
3. Clients today are often balancing efficiency, sustainability, product quality, and operational reliability simultaneously. How has that changed the way projects are approached? The equipment we install is designed to reliably achieve the customer goals. A good amount of thought and planning goes into selection of the correct pumps, line sizes, instrumentation, valve types and other equipment. Attention to detail is critical for making sure that we offer the optimum solution. 
4. Much of the company’s reputation has been built on practical engineering support and long-term client relationships. Why do you think that hands-on approach still matters so much in modern dairy processing? Every process is different and brings its own challenges. Being on the ground, alongside the customer, builds that relationship and common knowledge.

Looking Ahead

1. As the business moves into its next chapter, where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth or development? As a company, we’re best known for our membrane plant solutions, there is no doubt in that. Lesser known is our capabilities covering the wider cheese and whey process. We have designed and built a wide variety of bespokeprocess equipment across the country including silos, intake/despatch bays, valve manifolds, milk standardisation skids, pasteurisers, separators, clarifiers, cheese belts, cheddaring towers, CIP centres and heat recovery plants. Even now, when we speak to many people within the dairy industry, they have no idea of the other equipment that we can supply. 
2. How are you modernising the business while retaining the engineering principles and customer focus that have always defined David Kellett and Partners? Our team is a relatively small one, but we all share the common desire to provide the best service that we can. With regards to engineering, we often stick to our core processing principles that we know work which provides a solid foundation to build on. With regards to how the company will operate going forwards, we have already introduced a host of new technology to the company, streamlining and updating a number of internal mechanisms. I’ve no doubt this enthusiasm and drive for improvement will be clear to see for everyone in the future.

Personal Perspective

1. What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned working within the dairy processing industry? My previous employment was a multinational beer and cider producer where I was part of the engineering team. With that role, we never really met our customers on a professional level. Since being with David Kellett & Partners, I’ve learnt the power of a strong supplier/customer relationship. I work with many people that I would consider friends as well as customers. It’s those relationships that are key to our success in the future.
2. What excites you most about the future of David Kellett and Partners? The opportunity to carry on doing the work we do in the industry that we’re in. As a team, our future is in our hands, and I think we can really push to install industry leading equipment in a way that we can be proud of.

As David Kellett and Partners enters this next phase of its development, exhibiting at the International Cheese & Dairy Expo provides a valuable opportunity to engage directly with the wider dairy community. Visitors are warmly encouraged to stop by the stand, meet the team, share their experiences, and explore how practical process engineering expertise can support the changing needs of modern dairy manufacturing.