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5

Founder’s Reflections

building. The building system also needed to be able to

accommodate with relative ease a reasonable variety of

doorways and window openings.

It was then that I began working in my garage,

tinkering about with designs for the machines as well

as the blocks they would produce. And so emerged the

concept of a high-quality compressed block made from

soil that was readily at hand plus the addition of a little

cement.

In practice, however, I discovered that the key to a

strong block was clay content: too much was as bad as

too little. Another important factor was the curing process,

which needed time, water and sunlight.

Even more important was a robust design as these

machines were likely to be needed in far-flung rural

areas all over the third world and I couldn’t afford to have

them breaking down all over the place. Testimony to the

success of that element of the design is the fact that

today some of the machines we built in 1990 are still in

productive use.

Of course, while I had the idea and the skills to design

the machines, Hydraform would not have lasted 25 years

without the people who joined me in my quest. Not wishing

to offend any of those who have contributed over the

years by forgetting to name them, I will restrict myself to

Jochen Kofahl

Founder

the three people without whom my dream may never have

been realised.

The first of these is the current MD, Robert Plattner. A

solid partner since 1988, Robert stuck with the business

through thick and thin and his unwillingness to give up is

a major reason why Hydraform is the company it is today.

The second critical player is John Carter, our present

chairman and one of the first investors. John became

involved in 1993 and Hydraform benefited greatly from his

sage advice while I grew personally from having him as

my mentor.

Finally, and most definitely not least, is Linda Kempster,

our current operations director. Linda started at Hydraform

in 1995, handling the money that kept the business

running. Without her the company could never have

survived.

Perhaps one of my fondest memories is of our company

motto back in 2005: “Hydraform goes where no one else

goes.” Long may it continue.

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6/18/13 11:39 AM