July 2025 marks the sixtieth year of trading for the Hodges family business based in Holt, Wiltshire.
John Hodges started work for Knees, in Trowbridge, in charge of the agricultural plumbing department. Whilst there, seeing the problems limescale was bringing to his customers’ farms, he discovered a gap in the local market for ion exchange water softeners, which had been around since the late 1920s.
In 1965, John Hodges took a bold step to start installing water softeners as his own business. At this time, 85% of installations took place in the farming community, for milking parlours. Maybe not so surprising when you realise 72% of Wiltshire is farmland.
But the business grew and more installations took place in domestic households as the years went by. These older models of water softeners were quite large and only took granular or tablet salt. John ran his business from his home in Holt, where the salt bags were stocked in an old shed and customers would come to collect, leaving payment in an honesty tin.
In the 1970’s the water softener industry started to blossom. In the USA Kinetico and in the UK, Harvey Water Softeners began manufacturing.
In 1984, John’s son Courtney started to work alongside his father. He moved his wife Lyn and children Paul and Tracy to Holt from Limply Stoke. Just a few years later, Lyn started to do the accounts and admin, forming a true family business. Paul and Tracy helping out with the salt when not a school or college.
John retired in 1989, moving to another property in Holt. Leaving Courtney in the family home and business property to continue West of England Water Softeners.
Paul continued to work in the family business until he became ill and sadly passed away in May 2001.
Tracy’s partner Bart found his land legs, leaving one water-based job for another from fishing in Devon to join Courtney as an engineer in 2002, as they became an authorised Kinetico dealer.
Having their own young family, Tracy joined the business full-time a few years later in 2011 when their boys Finn and Oliver were a bit older. Tracy then incorporated W.E. Softeners Ltd as a joint director with her Mum and Dad in February 2012.
Courtney and Lin decided to embrace retirement when the COVID pandemic hit, and Tracy took up the reins, and added Harvey Water Softeners to the range.
Tracy and Bart’s son Oliver (Ollie) also joined the business to help with sales of accessories and salt at weekends while he was still at school and college.
Now we have brought you up to date with the family business, as they celebrate their 60th, Diamond Anniversary.
Congratulations to this true, award-winning, family-run business. Still going strong and evolving to offer Quooker Taps as well as the latest water softeners and drinking water systems. This year, they were recognised as a Which Trusted Trader to commemorate their anniversary.
