From strength to strength

FOUR years ago INTEGRIA Healthcare, an international business, acquired Warwick based MediHerb, which was co-founded by Kerry Bone in November 1986.

Peter Purbrick has been with MediHerb since the start. . Picture: Erin Smith

FOUR years ago INTEGRIA Healthcare, an international business, acquired Warwick based MediHerb, which was co-founded by Kerry Bone in November 1986.

MediHerb originally operated out of a farm at Freestone.

Warwick's Peter Purbrick joined the company in 1987 and was recently acknowledged for his 25 years of service to the company.

"I was the fourth employee to join the company," he said.

"When I joined we were operating out of a goat shed on a farm."

The company produces herbal extracts such as echinacea and Mr Purbrick said MediHerb was behind new and important discoveries for the now well-known herb.

"We produce both liquid and tablet herbal extracts and we sell them to naturopaths and herbalists," he said.

The company moved to the McEvoy St address in 1991 and Mr Purbrick said the business had grown immensely since then.

"It is a big step over 25 years to have gone from a goat shed to this," he said.

Mr Purbrick's role involves sourcing the raw materials used in the products.

He said it was an interesting job.

"The herbs we use come from all over the world," he said.

"We source from North America, Canada, Brazil, Eastern Europe, China, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

"I get to communicate with people from around the world."

Apart from the founder, Mr Purbrick is the longest-serving employee of the company.

Mr Purbrick said the business did wonders for Warwick.

Originally published as From strength to strength