Miura Rep Spotlight: John Hilton from GVA Northwest, LLC
Miura Rep Spotlight: John Hilton from GVA Northwest, LLC
Miura Rep Territory: Oregon and Washington
Since 1985, John Hilton, owner of GVA Northwest, has been a key player in the equipment business, primarily serving the food industry. His early work focused on capital equipment like conveyors for the booming French fry market. However, in the late 1990s, Hilton took a significant step by partnering with two other professionals to form GVA Northwest, a company that has since become synonymous with Miura boilers in Oregon and Washington.
At that time, Miura was relatively unknown in the United States, with a small office in Los Angeles and most of its operations based in Canada. Miura boilers were initially met with skepticism, largely due to their smaller size, which was unheard of in the industry. However, Hilton saw the potential and took on the challenge of educating the market about the benefits of modularizing a boiler room for efficiency.
From the late 1990s through the early 2000s, Hilton and his team invested heavily in educating customers on why modular systems like Miura’s could outperform traditional boilers. Slowly but surely, the industry began to see the benefits. The concept of “three boilers functioning as one” revolutionized the market. Hilton recalls the tipping point when Miura’s reputation grew through word of mouth: “I have it, my buddy has it, now I have to have it.”
While Miura boilers were initially about 10-15% more expensive than traditional systems, Hilton’s team demonstrated that the higher upfront cost was offset by substantial savings in fuel efficiency. Miura’s built-in economizers allowed them to deliver hard evidence of superior performance. “The most efficient boiler is the one that’s not running,” Hilton often explains, referring to the ability of Miura boilers to quickly start up, cool down, and track load fluctuations, all of which contribute to maximizing efficiency.
One of GVA Northwest’s key success stories is Kaiser Permanente. In the early 2000s, Kaiser installed its first Miura boilers as part of a maintenance budget. The result? Over 20% savings in fuel costs. These boilers are still running today, proving not just their reliability but also their long-term efficiency. Kaiser has since ordered five new Miura boilers, further solidifying Miura’s place in the healthcare sector.
Hilton’s experience in the food and beverage industry has also driven success for Miura, especially with breweries. “We’ve converted a lot of breweries to Miura because of the stability of Miura boilers,” Hilton shares. Fort George Brewery, for example, runs both a 1996 boiler and a newer Miura model, highlighting the longevity and durability of Miura’s systems.
One key selling point for Hilton is that Miura doesn’t waste anything. “We’re burning good fuel in a compact space,” he says, emphasizing that Miura’s boilers are designed for maximum fuel efficiency. Additionally, Miura’s advanced monitoring systems track variables like tube and stack temperatures, providing insights that other systems simply don’t offer. Fewer moving parts also means less maintenance, resulting in lower labor costs for customers and fewer operational disruptions.
Hilton firmly believes that energy efficiency and fuel conservation will continue to be crucial in the years ahead. “Miura needs to stay tight and keep providing advancements in high efficiency, steam stability and reliability, and those who cannot will be regulated out,” he notes. As regulations around energy use tighten, Miura’s reputation as a safe, efficient, and reliable option will only continue to grow.
John Hilton is proud to represent Miura across Oregon and Washington, supporting industries ranging from food processing to healthcare. His commitment to promoting energy efficiency, reliability, and long-term savings has made GVA Northwest a trusted partner for businesses looking to improve their boiler systems. And with Miura’s track record of success, Hilton knows that the future looks bright for energy-efficient steam solutions.
To learn more about GVA Northwest, visit here.