Our 160th Year Anniversary
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This year marks 160 years since John Horsfall’s was founded back in 1863 by John Horsfall himself. The business is still managed by the Horsfall family, now in its 6th generation.
We’re so proud of our long and illustrious textile heritage and our role in the British textile manufacturing industry, so have continued our 160th celebrations throughout 2023!
A Brief History: How it all Started…
In the mid 1800’s the growth of the steam powered textile mill spread rapidly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. The invention of automated looms and spinning machinery earlier in the century and the arrival of a new railway to the Calder Valley in the 1840’s changed everything. By the 1860’s the industrialised textile industry in Halifax was booming, attracting keen entrepreneurs from diverse walks of life, such as businessman John Horsfall.
Seizing the opportunity to be part of a modern, rapidly growing industry, John made a life-changing career jump in 1863. He formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, James Clay, already a woollen manufacturer. Initially trading as Clay & Horsfall from a small mill in Luddenden Foot near Halifax … the company that was to become known as ‘John Horsfall’ began.
From its humble beginnings John’s textile manufacturing business moved several times to various premises in the Sowerby Bridge area. In 1896, the textile mill complex ‘West Vale Works’ in Greetland, near Halifax became our home and remained so for over 100 years.
Domestic bed blankets were John Horsfall’s specialism for many years. The company was such an important manufacturer of blankets that between the years 1939 to 1945 our blankets were considered essential for the war effort. Workers were given special dispensation to work in the mill rather than joining the armed forces.
On Route to Aviation
The textile mill industry in the UK has changed beyond recognition over the last 50 years, with a great deal of manufacturing moving overseas. John Horsfall moved from domestic blanket manufacturing to making airline blankets in the late 1970’s; selling our first travel blankets to British Airways, Kuwait Airways, Malaysian Airlines & Air Mauritius. Evolving with the ever-competitive onboard sleep arena, we have since diversified into all areas of airline soft products, including duvets, pillows, mattresses, table linens and sleepsuits.
John Horsfall now operate a global supply chain but retain our British roots with the head office, sewing room & warehousing within 5 miles of our original blanket mill.
We employ skilled staff from the local area and continue to be an active and growing part of the British textile industry. So much so, that we often hear from local connections enquiring about past employees and their family history links to the business.
showcasing coronation celebrations in the John Horsfall textile mill
Woven blankets are where we began, and with 160 years’ textile experience we can ensure our customers are equipped with a wide range of textile products that deliver cabin comfort and are loved by customers throughout the aircraft.
Achievements along the way
There is a wealth of textile heritage woven throughout the Horsfall head-office team. Several current members of the team have hit impressive milestones, with x3 members having been with the company for over 25 years.
In addition to John Horsfall being run as a family business, one of the team has also had several family members work for the company over previous generations; Rachels Grandfather and her Mother were both employed before her.
receiving 25yrs at Heimtextil award
Trade shows have always been an important place for us to showcase innovative blankets & bedding. In 1996 the company was presented with a commemorative award to acknowledge exhibiting at every Heimtextil for 25 years, since the 1971 inauguration of Europe’s premier textiles fair.
As John Horsfall cemented the presence in the airline industry, we became a stalwart of the Aviation Trade Shows; exhibiting at AIX, IFSA and the ever-evolving IFCA (International Flight Catering Association) > ITCA (International Travel Catering Association), now known as WTCE. John Horsfall remains a core presence at these exhibitions; our recent show stands focus strongly on sustainable innovations including Re-Thread®, recycled & reclaimed airline textiles and the team work with airline clients to help make the most sustainable choices they can.
We are very proud to have received many prestigious awards over the years. First receiving the Queens Award for Export in 1993, a further two Queens Awards were won in 1998 & 1999. More recently product awards have included ‘Best Premium Economy Bedding’ from Travel Plus awards 2019; ‘Best for OnBoard Textiles 2020, 2022 & 2023 and Industry Champions 2021 in the OnBoard Hospitality Awards.
This year saw John Horsfall achieve 24 years of continual certification to ISO 9001. First introduced in the textile mill in 1999, the management system continues to evolve with the company today. The business uses the ISO structure to define the way it works, continually improving the quality of the management system and the performance of products.
In the spirit of evolution John Horsfall joined the global CSR platform Sedex in 2013, establishing a program of regular SMETA audits and continual improvements throughout the supply chain; we also became members of Ecovadis in 2019.
Fair practices and environmental sustainability are areas of particular focus for us and are of increasing importance across the textiles & airline industries. Our Environmental Sustainability policy forms the basis of ongoing improvement ensuring we work in a sustainable, ethical and responsible way.
Creativity in Flight – Experts in our Field
The company’s ownership has been passed down through generations, passing to the 5th generation with the current Managing Director Peter Horsfall Benson taking the reins in 1997. Continuing the family tradition, in recent years Peter’s son Charles Horsfall Benson, has become the 6th generation to join the family firm, as General Manager of our sister-company Interweave Healthcare Textiles.
In 2018, John Horsfall went through a major rebrand and we launched ‘Creativity in Flight’ as a brand essence. Working with local brand-experts 10 Associates, the new look defined John Horsfall’s brand truths ‘Experience enhancers’ since 1863 – designers, product developers, logistics experts and dedicated sales staff work together to continually provide the best product and service for our customers. By employing skilled staff from the local area, John Horsfall continues to be an active and growing part of the British textile industry meaning clients can be assured that they are in very safe-hands – for the long haul.
Looking Forward
Now going from strength to strength, and with 160 years’ experience, we expect many more successful years to come, focusing on further design development and advancements in sustainable textiles. John Horsfall continue to collaborate with clients to create levels of comfort and contentment that have never been seen before.
‘It’s not where you go … It’s who you travel with’,
Charles M. Schulz.
A mantra we feel perfectly resonates with the John Horsfall brand.
