Aberfield appointed by innovative woollen cloth manufacturer to drive global growth
Chloe Briggs, Consultant
Leeds-based PR, social media and brand communications agency, Aberfield Communications, has been appointed by AW Hainsworth to help it grow in key sectors and new territories across the globe.
Established in 1783, AW Hainsworth is one of only three remaining vertically integrated wool cloth manufacturers in the UK. It produces high-quality and innovative wool fabrics used in a diverse range of sectors from aviation to fashion and protective clothing to snooker tables and interiors.
Aberfield’s role will be to work as an extension of the marketing team providing PR strategy and delivery, social media, trade show support and wider marketing activity, to build AW Hainsworth’s reputation in key sectors and emerging markets in the U.S, Middle East and Far East, as well at home in the UK.
For over 240 years AW Hainsworth has manufactured and exported its sought-after products from its mill in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. It has developed fabrics and partnerships with the likes of Prada, Valentino and Clarks Originals, the distinctive scarlet tunic cloth of the Royal Guards and the technical felt in a Steinway piano key. It also recently won a King’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for its ECO-DRY product, a state-of-the-art fabric used in PPE worn by up to 70% of wildland firefighters in Australia.
It’s the latest in a line of prestigious manufacturing clients that have chosen to work with Aberfield Communications, including Mansfield Pollard, The Compleat Food Group, William Hare and Econ Engineering.
Amanda McLaren, Managing Director at AW Hainsworth, said: “The Aberfield team presented a compelling and commercially driven proposal that was perfectly aligned with the aims and ambitions of the business. They were able to demonstrate how they would support our divisions in their key sectors, alongside the AW Hainsworth brand, and understood the need to tell our story as a modern, innovative, performance driven business, which is underpinned by capability, expertise and heritage.”
Tim Downs, Director at Aberfield Communications, said: “This was a fantastic, strategic brief to receive that we knew played to our strengths, so we are incredibly happy to have been chosen to support AW Hainsworth in the next stage of its growth.
“Businesses with the breadth and depth of capabilities and such fascinating stories to tell are rare to find and we really can’t wait to get stuck in. Our priority is to devise a sector and territory-based communications strategy that builds the AW Hainsworth brand while providing its divisions with the autonomy and support they require. It’s a substantial challenge but one we are well equipped to help them solve and we are looking forward to building a long-term, successful relationship with a great client team.”
The appointment is one of a string of recent new business wins for Aberfield which includes, Moda Living, Mansfield Pollard, William Hare Group and Econ Engineering.
