Yorkshire Society celebrates successful businesses in region

AW Hainsworth & Sons is the first company to receive a corporate plaque from The Yorkshire Society.

The Yorkshire Society has joined forces with plaque manufacturer MTL of Rotherham to celebrate successful businesses in the region.

Leeds-based Hainsworth, which has been manufacturing woollen textiles since 1783, was chosen because of its longevity and commitment to Yorkshire.

The seventh generation of the family-owned company continue to integrate the traditional qualities of craftsmanship with design, cutting edge innovation and product development to meet the needs of a growing and diverse global customer base.

Its fabrics are seen adorning the Queen’s Royal guard at Buckingham Palace, gracing catwalks worldwide with their stylish elegance, enriching the furnishings of palaces and protecting emergency services from the damaging effects of fire.

For a number of years the Yorkshire Society has installed plaques to commemorate Yorkshire men and women who gave exceptional service or contributed significantly to the county and country.

Now it is installing stainless steel plaques on the buildings of companies founded and still operating in Yorkshire.

Keith Madeley, chairman of the Yorkshire Society, said the idea came after The Yorkshire Post praised the society for supporting regional businesses when it installed a plaque to celebrate Fox’s Biscuits’ 160th anniversary in 2013.

Hainsworth employs over 180 people in Farsley, Leeds. Mr Madeley said its ethos for investing in people and maintaining strong partnerships had driven its commitment to maintaining the name as a benchmark in textile manufacturing.

He added: “Textiles in Yorkshire are very dear to my heart so it makes this one particularly special.”

Adam Hainsworth, director at Hainsworth, said: “This campaign driven by the Yorkshire Society reflects our approach of using the values set deep within our heritage to drive our company forward”

He added: “We are proud to say that Spring Valley Mills is one of the last remaining fully vertical mills in the UK and has been our home since the early 1800s.

“Our workforce shares our passion and dedication in producing world renowned fabrics.”