Wearwell, the Tamworth-based workwear manufacturer, has celebrated its 80th birthday this week. Starting life as Wearwell Overalls in a small shed with just two sewing machines in 1939, today Wearwell manufactures close to 25,000 garments a week using Europe’s finest fabrics specifically chosen for their durability, high performance and protective capabilities.
The firm is a true British manufacturing success story, named the UK’s Best Manufacturer at the Professional Clothing Awards for the last two years. After moving from Birmingham to its present home in Tamworth in 1960, Wearwell has gone from strength to strength. It established offshore manufacturing bases in1998 to complement its UK facility with a near-shore fast response model that today means Wearwell is able to meet demanding schedules, price products competitively and ensure a first-class customer experience. A brand new 10,000 sq-ft high bay warehouse was built in 2007 and is now home to a 70-strong team of people.
CEO Richard Wright says, “Wearwell is one of the oldest UK manufacturers of workplace protective and safety clothing. We are very proud of our 80-year heritage and our reputation founded on the quality and speed of production thanks to our near shore and award-winning UK manufacturing facilities.
“As experts in fabric technology, garment design and the manufacture of workwear, technical know-how has been central to Wearwell’s success. In fact, we consider our team of highly experienced and extremely skilled designers and machinists, whose combined experience exceeds 800 years of workwear manufacturing know how, to be our greatest asset as we celebrate our anniversary.”
Wearwell celebrated its anniversary on Thursday 01 August with a garden party for past and previous staff plus all who have contributed to Wearwell’s story. The garden party featured food trucks, refreshments and inflatable games.
