Moffat’s founder receives industry accolade

Bonnybridge’s Eddie Moffat: an outstanding individual

Eddie Moffat, founder of E&R Moffat Catering Equipment, has won a prestigious award from the industry he has served most of his life.  The Outstanding Contribution Award was presented at the catering industry’s biggest annual conference, held this year at Whittlebury Hall in Northamptonshire. 

Eddie founded E&R Moffat in 1963 and the company is still based in Bonnybridge, near Falkirk.  Recognised as one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of catering equipment, the company is a leader in the development of environmentally-friendly technologies, under its ‘Green Thinking’ programme. 

The Outstanding Contribution Award is sponsored by CESA, the Catering Equipment Suppliers Association, and Caterer & Hotelkeeper, the hospitality trade magazine.  It is decided by members of the catering industry and the 2012 award was announced at the CESA Conference Gala dinner, on 16 November, and presented by new CESA chair, Nick Oryino, who described Eddie Moffat as ‘an inspiration’. 

Leaving school in 1939, aged 14, Eddie began an apprenticeship as a sheet metal worker with Smith and Wellstood.  He served as a telegraphist and air gunner in the Fleet Air Arm in WWII, but Eddie always had the urge to start his own business, eventually setting up the company with help from his brother Reid (the ‘R’ in E&R Moffat). 

In those early years several family members helped in the business, but Eddie’s biggest backer was his wife, Betty.  “Her encouragement, patience and support, kept me going,” he says.  “That and her willingness, with no experience, to turn her hand to bender operator, spot welder, painter and sweeper!” 

Sadly Betty passed away in 2011.  Eddie, now 87, pops in once a week to get an update on what’s happening at the company, which remains family-owned, being run by his son, William who has been Managing Director for the last 20 years.

E & R Moffat now boasts 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space and employs 150 people – in many cases second and third generations from the same family.  In 2013 the company celebrates its 50 anniversary – Eddie is currently working on a history, which he hopes to publish as part of the festivities. 

E & R Moffat is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of quality foodservice equipment, designing and manufacturing in-house.  Based in Bonnybridge, Scotland, the company manufactures standard and bespoke servery, regeneration and storage equipment and runs a full nationwide after-sales engineering team.  E & R Moffat is accredited to ISO 9001:2008 and many of the products have gas approvals and are EMC tested.  For more information on E & R Moffat visit the website on www.ermoffat.co.uk