In a seven figure investment, Bristol Uniforms, a leading manufacturer of firefighters’ clothing, has been acquired by the Faithful Group, a leading UK specialist workwear manufacturer.
Faithful has acquired 100% of its new acquisition’s share capital. Bristol Uniforms has an annual turnover of around £10 million with more than a half achieved through exports.
The company will continue to operate in Bristol, under its recognised name as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Faithful Group. The acquisition, said Peter Warr, Faithful’s managing director, will open up new opportunities for the company through the Group’s exisiting subsidiaries that operate in Holland, Germany and the US.
He said: “There is clearly a synergy with the Group’s other activities that sees the acquisition of Bristol Uniforms as a logical part of our planned expansion programme.
“In recent years we have acquired two businesses in Holland and TOPS in the US, which manufactures fire retardant gear for wear by firefighters at the station. The new acquistion complements these businesses both geographically, giving us a strong European and US presence, and in terms of expertise. In the future we will be looking for other suitable businesses.
“The addition of the company will open up new market opportunities for Bristol Uniforms, which has a long and distinguished history, having been operating since 1801. This makes Faithful a relative newcomer to the idea of protecting people at work, having only been operating since 1834.”
