Getting to Know Our Experts: David Broster

Here, David Broster, Business Development Manager at Veolia Water Technologies UK reflects on his career date and provides an insight into what he thinks the future holds for the water industry.

Can you tell us a bit about your career history and what led you to VWT UK?

After graduating from University in 2013 with a degree in Biochemistry and Microbiology, I accepted a place on a Graduate development programme for a large electrical wholesaler, before joining the water treatment industry as field service chemist. I then moved into account management , where I was responsible for managing and designing critical water treatment programmes for a range of customers. Five years later, in October 2020, I took the next step in my career and joined Veolia Water Technologies as Business Development Manager.

What was it about VWT UK that initially attracted you?

Initially, it was the size and reputation of the brand that attracted me. As I became more experienced, I realised that the water treatment industry is fast becoming more vital in the fight for sustainability and is much bigger than just chemistry. VWT has a vast array of departments that work together to solve problems. If a customer wished to do so, VWT could offer a solution across all process water on an industrial site,
whether an engineered solution or chemical. This capability means versatility in the role as well, which keeps things different from a day to day basis.

What do you specialise in and what does your current role entail?

My role at VWT is to help grow the business and customer base across a number of industries. This largely involves negotiating contracts to be serviced by our operations team in the UK. Over the years I have been lucky enough to work across a variety of areas, but I specialise in cooling and boiler applications, especially within the food and beverage sector. 

What are the main challenges you face in your role day to day?

I think it’s the need to constantly innovate and provide new solutions. Customers won’t know exactly what they need in terms of a solution – but they will know what results they want to achieve. My challenge is to figure out the solution for them.

Are there any specific projects that you have been involved in that you are particularly proud of?

We won a contract at a food and beverage site recently where the customer was experiencing high levels of heavy metals in their effluent, meaning separated sludge could not be safely spread on local fields. We surveyed the plant and realised a heavy metal corrosion inhibitor was being utilised within the process inside the factory. We proposed to take over servicing of the cooling and boiler assets on site and introduced a more environmentally sustainable corrosion inhibitor to the process. This actually increased performance, lowered the chemical cost and removed the heavy metal contamination from the sludge. I was definitely proud to be
a part of that. 

What is the most common issue that your customers approach you for
support with?

It’s usually around biofilm and bacterial proliferation issues within a unique wash system or some sort of cooling system. Quite often it will be a newly commissioned system that has just been brought online. It is very easy to overlook the water treatment and the impact of not addressing it early. 

Lastly, could you tell us a fun fact about yourself?

I am a huge England cricket fan. When I was 14, I predicted that England would win the 2005 ashes. I was laughed at; well, they're not laughing now!