Ray Singh

Managing Director of Russell Finex Ltd -

Profile

Founded in 1934, Russell Finex’s longevity and highly regarded reputation has seen the Group become one of the top three global manufacturers of sieving and filtration equipment. Offering a premium product and service, it is the only manufacturer of filtration systems, industrial sieves, and ultrasonic mesh cleaning devices in the world. With over 85 years of experience in manufacturing and exporting to over 140 countries, the company has a strong international infrastructure, with headquarters in the UK, and subsidiaries in Belgium, India, China, and the USA.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

Over 40 years ago, I joined the company in a sales position working my way up the ranks to become Managing Director in 2011. Since then, our turnover has almost trebled and profits grown by over six-fold. I have been heavily involved in new product developments to expand the reach of the Group, as well as overseeing the opening of new subsidiaries in India and China.

How has the pandemic affected your company’s operations?

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the world badly, we continued to grow, playing a critical role in serving the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and many other key industries. As a company, we pride ourselves on our resilience and have adapted our business to cope during the pandemic to ensure we could continue to serve our customers. Most of our staff worked from home where possible, and investment was made to increase health and safety measures for those continuing to work in the offices and factory.

What are the key achievements over the past 12 months you’re most proud of?

As the world shifted towards the digital way of working, exhibitions and trade shows were impacted; however, we didn’t lose the opportunity to connect with customers and prospects through interactive webinars, helping to target key industries and customers. Fortunately, this year trade shows are returning and we are participating in exhibitions like Exposolidos in Barcelona and TCT in the US.

During the past 12 months, we have invested heavily in our facilities. In India, we completed our custom-built factory as well as opened a Technical Centre in Bangalore aimed to assist in servicing customers in the southern region of India. This will enable the Russell Finex team to provide more efficient servicing of machines and spare parts and support the whole business in continuing to develop in this important region. This is the first venture of this type for the company and its success will determine similar investment in other parts of the world.

We have also purchased new premises in Belgium and the UK. Acquiring the adjoining building to our factory in Feltham will allow us to expand our manufacturing facilities. These investments give us security for the foreseeable future and provide the foundations for the growth of our business. It has only been made possible due to the financial strength of the company which has been created by the hard work of everyone over the years.

Why is this award so special to you?

This award is a fantastic achievement for myself as well as the company. This wouldn’t have been possible without the continuous efforts and dedication of all Russell Finex employees all around the world. Our goal is to continue to support all our worldwide customers in the years to come. This company has been here for 85 years. I want it to be around for another 85 years.