Waterfall & O'Brien Ltd. is a specialist British chemical manufacturer supporting laboratory, engineering and manufacturing organisations through the supply of products, technical knowledge and process support.
Founded in Bristol in 1885, the company has supported a wide range of industries throughout its history while continuing to evolve alongside the changing technical requirements of its customers.
Our purpose is simple: to help customers solve technical problems using practical chemistry, manufacturing expertise and specialist knowledge.
Whether supporting laboratory investigations, materials characterisation, manufacturing processes or surface treatment applications, we focus on delivering solutions that are reliable, effective and fit for purpose.
Today our activities are focused on specialist chemical products, technical support and manufacturing services.
Waterfall & O'Brien operates specialist brands focused on defined markets and customer requirements.
EtchantsUK supplies metallography products, laboratory reagents and materials preparation solutions for industrial, academic and research applications.
Aerospace focuses on process chemistry and surface treatment solutions supporting aerospace, engineering and advanced manufacturing applications.
We believe successful technical relationships are built upon understanding customer requirements rather than simply supplying products.
Our approach combines specialist knowledge, practical manufacturing experience and responsive customer support to help customers achieve successful outcomes in both laboratory and production environments.
Waterfall & O'Brien maintains capabilities covering product manufacture, packaging, technical support, process documentation and customer-specific development activities.
The company operates an ISO 9001 registered quality management system supporting manufacturing, documentation, traceability and continuous improvement throughout its operations.
Further information regarding facilities and operational capabilities can be found within the Facilities section of this site.
While our history spans more than a century, our focus remains on meeting the evolving needs of modern industry.
We continue to develop specialist products, technical knowledge and digital systems that support our customers and strengthen our manufacturing capabilities for the future.