• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Monday March 23 2015

Hill Brush cleans up at Enterprising Wiltshire Awards

A firm that supplies high quality brushes and cleaning equipment to the royal family was named Business of the Year on Friday night at the Enterprising Wiltshire Awards 2015.

Commercial director Charles Coward, whose family has owned Mere-based Hill Brush since its founding in 1922, collected the award from Wiltshire Council leader Jane Scott and Wiltshire Paralympics swimmer Stephanie Millward. The company was also named Best Manufacturer on the night.

Hill Brush has held the royal warrant since 1981, which is given to businesses that supply goods to the royal household. The company’s products are distributed to over 90 countries including the US, Canada, China and India and are recognised for their high quality.

In particular, Hill Brush’s innovative technology that reduces the risk of brush filaments being dislodged is extremely important in the food production industry.

Mr Coward said: “This award is recognition for the efforts and commitment of our entire workforce – not just this generation, but over the last four generations.

“Hill Brush is going from strength to strength: we have just received planning permission and great support from Wiltshire Council for a new 10,000 square metre factory, which will also include a visitor centre, a product training centre, museum, shop and café.

“This presents an exciting new opportunity for the business and provides further tourism opportunities for Wiltshire and the Mere area. Hill Brush will relocate our injection mouldings business to this new central manufacturing HQ, where we can control all aspects of our manufacturing process.”

The double award for Hill Brush in front of an audience of over 150 at Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort near Calne wins the company £2,000 from Wiltshire Council.

A charity auction, conducted by Chippenham Auction Rooms’ principal auctioneer Richards Edmonds, raised over £2,000 towards Stephanie Millward’s training costs.

There were six other winning business on the night, each of which received £1,500 from Wiltshire Council.

• Business of the Year – Hill Brush Company, Mere, cleaning equipment
• Best Start-Up – SMARTech Energy, Corsham, energy efficiency experts
• Green Business of the Year – Farley Nursery Schools, South Wiltshire, private outdoor nurseries
• Best Exporter – Loadpoint, Cricklade, precision cutting equipment
• Best Small Business – From You To Me, Bradford-upon-Avon, award-winning gift journals
• Best Young Entrepreneur – Ben Pinniger, Calne, BP Milling, fish food
• Best Manufacturer – Hill Brush Company, Mere, cleaning equipment
• Best Product or Service – Prezola, Westbury, wedding gift list service