Posted: 16th July 2019 | Back to news feed
Founded in 1982 by the late Gerald Brown and his family, Abbey England is still a true family business.
Based in Cheshire, it has risen from humble beginnings to establish an enviable reputation for supplying high-quality materials for a wide range of manufacturing, commercial and leisure businesses, both home and abroad.
Abbey England prides itself on providing top quality, British-made materials and tools for the equestrian trade. It also produces high quality metalwork in its Walsall-based foundry which encompasses 185 years of history and was awarded a Royal Warrant in 1995 for the supply of saddlery workshop materials to the Royal Mews.
Traditional manufacturing is at the heart of the equestrian trade and securing the future of the techniques and practices used in it is vital. In order to help achieve this Abbey England has acquired a number of companies over the years and these have all become part of the ‘Abbey family’.
As well as the head office in Knutsford, Cheshire, which acts as the distribution arm there are several other brands and businesses.
Equus Polymer makes rein grips and Equus boots, cheek guards, martingale rings and rein stops. Equus is highly regarded as a specialist maker of polymer products of exceptional quality, all manufactured from UK-sourced rubber.
The team at Liston Locks sell a range of brass locks while Matthew Harvey specialises in Coach and Fridge fittings as well as locks for the vintage car and industrial fridge industries.
From Stanley Brothers come buckles and brass items for the equestrian and fashion industries, all cast and hand-finished at the foundry in Walsall, while the Catras department distributes horse brasses and celebration plaques, door knockers, novelty plaques and sundials.
Finally, the newest addition to the team is the bit making arm at Young’s, responsible for specialist and bespoke horse bits used by thousands of horse owners around the world.
Being British is an essential part of Abbey England’s heritage and as a manufacturing company employing traditional skills in an industry where many skills are being lost, the family team feels proud to be able to keep part of that heritage alive, preserving the manufacturing skills required.
Buying British to support British manufacturing is of key importance to the team at Abbey. Their customers overseas appreciate the value and quality of British-made goods and the company believes that this will be reflected in the home market, helping to preserve and strengthen the traditional craft skills used within the saddle-making industry.
The range of products manufactured and supplied by Abbey England is truly diverse. The Abbey Foundry employs a number of highly skilled craftsmen who produce high quality riding and driving bits, locks, commemorative brass plaques, industrial hinges, belt buckles, saddlery accessories and other various metal hardware which are used in fashion, leather goods, pet, equestrian, military and the automotive industries around the globe.
The company is also one of the market leaders in equestrian wholesale, supplying top quality, British-made materials and tools for the saddlery industry as well as leather, webbing, threads and dyes.
Over the years the company, which began life as Abbey Saddlery, has stayed true to its traditional values of honesty, fairness, reliability and good, friendly service. Meanwhile the range of products Abbey England supplies has expanded greatly, bringing a new dimension to the business. This allows Abbey to offer everything for the saddlery and equestrian rug manufacture and repair trade and also supply non-equestrian businesses utilising large quantities of natural and synthetic narrow fabrics.
The company is very much aware that while its traditional values form a firm foundation for the business, it also needs to keep pace with growing trends. So the company is constantly looking to the future by introducing new lines into the business. The team realise the importance of knowing what’s happening within the industries they supply and, for example, with the fast-moving world of fashion changing all the time, they understand they have to make it their business to know what’s happening right now as well as tomorrow.
For further information please contact Abbey England Ltd on +44 (0)1565 650343 or visit www.abbeyengland.com
The Equestrian Index newsfeed is compiled from articles submitted by advertising members and expresses the opinions of those members. Watsons Directories Ltd shall not be held liable for any inaccuracies or mis-statements therein.