Presidency honour for lubricants industry stalwart John
A Shropshire businessman, who is celebrating 50 years of service to the lubricants industry, has been elected president of a leading UK trade association.
John Alton, commercial director of Shrewsbury-based Morris Lubricants, is the longest serving board member of the United Kingdom Lubricants Association (UKLA), which represents more than 100 manufacturers in the lubricants and metalworking fluids industry.
He had previously served as vice president for eight years and received the President’s Award from the UKLA four years ago for his contribution to the lubricants industry.
He has guided Morris Lubricants, Britain’s leading family-owned, independent oil blenders and marketers, with great success since 1989 when he joined the company as chief executive from Silkolene Oils in Belper, Derbyshire, where he was sales and marketing director.
He handed over the reins at Morris Lubricants to managing director Andrew Goddard four years ago but continues to be responsible for developing home and export markets.
Mr Alton played a key role in transforming the business, increasing sales volume from 12 million litres to 35 million litres today. Recognising great commercial opportunities overseas, he guided the company into the export market, which today accounts for a turnover of £6.5 million.
Morris Lubricants’ products, which all proudly bear the Union Jack, are now exported to 80 countries around the globe and the company has a workforce of 120.
“It’s a great honour to be elected president of the UKLA and I feel slightly apprehensive about following in the footsteps of some great people,” said Mr Alton.
“We are trying to bring about changes within the organisation and if we achieve our aims during my year of office I shall be very pleased.”
Now aged 75, he began his career as an engineering apprentice with Rolls Royce and Bentley Motors in Crewe at the age of 15.
Reflecting on his half a century in the lubricants industry, he said he had witnessed many major changes, including a massive reduction in the number of manufacturers within the UK. This he attributed to rationalisation of production blending plants and a lack of resistance to closures from successive Governments and trades union.
“Competition and commercial viability are paramount in business, but there has to be a time when a nation maintains a fundamental presence in strategic world markets,” he added. “Sadly, successive governments since the Second World War have let our industrial base decline to an irretrievable position.
“Had the same financial support been given to ailing industries as was made available to our banking sector, I think we would still be a significant European player.
“British industry has been through a dreadful time but, in the markets where manufacturing has survived, I think we can compare with the best in terms of competitiveness and efficiency. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of casualties along the way.
“For those companies that have maintained a presence in the UK, the future is bright because there is still a domestic market, which can be serviced far better by local companies. There is also huge demand for British manufactured goods overseas and great potential to expand this export market.
“Morris Lubricants has been particularly successful in exporting products with the Union Jack on the brand packaging because there is still a lot of respect for British manufactured products in countries around the globe.”
