We are proud to have been manufacturing high quality springs for over 70 years for companies all around the world. In fact, on 7th June 2016, it was our 71st birthday! Through creating strong relationships with the community, customers and colleagues, we have gone from strength to strength over the past 71 years.
On 7th June 1945, Gordon Parkinson created the company Airedale Spring Manufacturers Ltd. In these early days, we were engaged in the making of wire handles for glass accumulators, expanding curtain rails and springs with wooden handles to clear blocked drains. Over the following decades, Airedale Springs went through multiple relocations, from Royd Mill in Oxenhope to Harry Lane Works and then to Haworth, where the Bridgehouse and Ebor Mill were situated. From each move, Airedale Springs developed better and more versatile products and eventually grew to the industry leader we are today.
Throughout it all, Airedale Springs Ltd has been a business that has been passed down through two generations and has grown into a global leading spring manufacturer. Because of this, it is important to know why Airedale Springs has succeeded as a family business.
Strong Commitment and Loyalty
As a family business, Airedale Springs has a unique position and relationship with those we work with. We produce high employee satisfaction and our employees are loyal to us. Because of this, fellow businesses trust our products since they will be of the highest quality.
The Backbone of UK Economy
Some people might think of a family business as a small family owning a shop down the road. But there’s more to it than that. In the UK alone, there are over three million family businesses, which contribute 25% of the UK’s total GDP. Family businesses actually account for around 60% of all private sector jobs in the UK.
Warburtons, Clarks and JCB are some of the largest family businesses in the UK, with each being passed down from generation to generation. The reason why these brands are household names in today’s society is that customers trust their products, because everyone that works in these companies respectively work together to make the company the most successful and the leaders of their industry, and the exact same goes for Airedale Springs.
Visit by Year 5 pupils from Haworth Primary School
Philanthropic Values
For many local family businesses, supporting the local community is of great importance. This can be through holding special events, working with charities and hiring local employees. The philanthropic nature of a family business can help communities come together in a crisis, may that be a business or societal one.
For Airedale Springs, the worst happened when the fire occurred at Ebor Works in 2010. However, with the support of the company and the community, the company was soon back in business and developed into what it is today.
As a family business with 71 years’ worth of experience, we’re always striving to produce products of the highest quality as we grow and evolve. With the involvement of apprenticeships and the work we undertake with the younger generation of engineers, we expect to continue our work as spring and wire form manufacturers for many more years to come!
To find out more about us, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01535 643456 and our highly-skilled and friendly team will answer any queries you might have