Rochdale spring manufacturer marks 60 years trading

Hanson Springs has celebrated 60 years of business as one of the world’s largest independent spring manufacturers.

Hanson Springs was founded in 1963 by Malcolm Hanson, who remains managing director of the flourishing business.

Headquartered on Gorrels Way, Rochdale, the family-run business includes Malcolm’s two children - John, who is the finance director, and Lisa Jenkinson, who is the strategic purchasing director.

Lisa’s children, Luke Jenkinson, 23, and Ellie Jenkinson, 20, along with John’s daughter, Amy Hanson, 19, have all joined the Rochdale manufacturer in recent years.

Hanson Springs employs 230 people and is on track to a hit turnover of £32m in 2022/23.

John said: “When dad launched Hanson Springs in 1963, Rochdale was one of the centres of the UK spring-making industry. There were around 30 spring companies in Rochdale alone.

“We started making springs for the textile industry but moved into general engineering. By the mid-1970s we’d focused on the oil and gas and power generation sectors, which today accounts for 95 per cent of what we do, producing around 15 tonnes of springs each day.”

In the last 10 years, the company has invested around £15m in upgrading the plant and machinery facilities at its Gorrels Way site.

Improvements included the installation of a second £750,000 automated hot coil production line, enabling the company to boost its capacity.

Around 85% of everything they make goes to export, including the US, where they have a US distribution warehouse in Dallas, Texas.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Hanson Springs joined a UK-wide drive to manufacture 30,000 emergency ventilators to help the NHS deal with the coronavirus crisis.

Hanson Springs was drafted in to supply specialist springs to JRE Precision, which was one of the companies called in to help meet the shortfall of ventilators, to be used in the equipment’s control panels which supply oxygen.
 

Read more: Rochdale firm involved in ventilator drive to beat coronavirusPublished: 25 March 2020

John recalled: “We are classed as a critical supplier and extended our operating times to reduce the number of people on-site at any one time.

“We were able to react quickly because we hold a vast range of wire sizes and grades in stock.”

Hanson Springs is celebrating its 60th anniversary by holding a series of special events for staff every month, including bowling, golf and race days.

John said: “We have a very loyal workforce. We find when people have worked for us for five years they tend to stay for 30-40 years.

“We’re very proud to be 60 years old and playing our part in Rochdale’s booming business sector.”