A family run Dewsbury bed company has scooped a top industry ‘oscar’.
The Shire Bed Company – based in Netherfield Road – took the coveted Product of the Year award at the National Bed Federation’s (NBF) glittering annual awards ceremony in Telford.
The award was for the company’s Signature Collection of beds, a luxurious range of hand crafted mattresses featuring natural fillings of wool, cotton, cashmere and silk.
Sales and marketing director Fara Butt said, “This really is the ultimate accolade, and we are beyond thrilled with the award. We remain a family run company, so still relatively small compared to some of the industry’s ‘big hitters’. To take one of the NBF’s top awards represents a huge moment for us and all of the team at Shire Beds.”
Established for nearly 25 years, the Dewsbury company’s ongoing commitment to investment in its facilities, staff and machinery has ensured that Shire remains ahead of the game.
In recent years, the business has invested nearly £2.5 million expanding and upgrading its facilities, including new top-of-the range automated machinery to help speed up processes. The flow of the factory has also been re-engineered to improve throughput.
This has enabled the business to make significant in-roads into the hospitality sector where Shire now accounts for 30% of all university beds. It also supplies beds to care homes.
Shire Beds started out as a small cottage industry in 1997 and has grown to become one of the most successful bed making businesses within West Yorkshire. It was originally the brainchild of Mr Safdar Hussain, who had been in the bed manufacturing trade since the 1980s.
Today, Shire is headed up by Sajid and Fara Butt and the company employs some 70 people, making it a valuable asset to the local economy.
Innovation remains at the forefront of the company’s ethos, along with its passion for its Yorkshire roots and origins. As well as emblazoning Yorkshire slogans across its pink distribution fleet, Shire has a history of significant partnerships with the county’s sporting elite: Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Rhinos.
Said Fara: “We are incredibly proud of what the company has achieved over the years. The Signature Collection also features the highest spring count (6,000, 8,000 and 10,000 options) we have ever offered. This has enabled us to increase our share of the mid-market with a quality product created with a careful eye on costs – an incredible challenge which the industry has recognised with this award.”
