Tennant group
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A company in Nottingham that specialies in Rubber products, health and safety equipment and PVC welded products. They currently have premises in the Lenton Industrial Estate in Nottingham, England
[edit] History
The Company was founded in April 1955 by Charles Richard Tennant in Plumptre Square, Nottingham. When the Russell Rubber Company decided to close their Nottingham branch Mr Tennant opened up the Tennant Rubber Company in its place.
Many of the customers who had traded with Russells immediately placed orders with the newly-formed Company, including Boots, Baker Perkins (now APV Baker), the British Steel Company (now St Gobain) and British Celanese (now Acordis), all of whom remain important customers today.
In 1964 the Company moved to premises on Carlton Road. In 1968 Mr Tennant, together with Mr J Hunt of Thomas F Hunt, formed Tennant Plastics Limited, making reflective number plates. Although the Company was subsequently sold in 1975 to Mr J Hunt, a very close association remains between the two Companies. Tennant Plastics recently changed their name to Tennants UK Limited.
The advent of the Health & Safety at Work Act in 1974 led to the growth of the safety clothing and equipment market, and the acquisition of the adjacent “Tomahawk Factory” in 1982 provided the Tennant Rubber Company with the much needed space for expansion.
Mr CR Tennant died in 1984 and his son Richard took the responsibility of Chairman and Managing Director. Mr PC Cox, who joined the Company in 1955, was appointed a Director in 1975, retired from the Company in 1990 after 34 years of service.
In 1987 Redland Quilting, a Bristol firm specialising in the manufacture of PVC welded products, was purchased from Mr Bill Cockhill. After a short period of sharing the premises in Carlton Road, Redlands moved to Hooton Street, Robin Hood Industrial Estate and then to Meadow Grove.
In 1995 Mr Terry Kirkham, the Commercial Manager, was appointed a Director and retired from the Company in 2003 after 15 years of service.
In 1996, due to the growth of safety products and the difference in the market between rubber and safety, Tennant Rubber underwent a restructuring. It split into two divisions Tennant Safety and Tennant Rubber. Redlands was also brought under the group umbrella and changed its name to Tennant PVC Limited.
In 2004 the three divisions moved to the present premises in The Midway. The present Executive Directors are Mr John Waldron (Safety), Mr Mark Darby (PVC) and Mr Joe Taylor (Rubber).
