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In 2015 Franklins has been trading for 180 years
5 June 2015
This year the Franklins brand celebrates 180 years of trading. Quite an achievement.
A member of the Franklins Group of companies, Franklins International Ltd. (originally William Franklin & Sons Ltd.) was founded in Coventry as a silk weaver, in 1835. It was based at Much Park Street, Coventry, and after marriage to a Franklin was in the possession of the Clarke family from 1913.
Silk ribbon weaving had been established in Coventry and neighbouring villages, from the early 18th century. In the mid-20th century, different locations throughout England, specialized in different products, and Coventry was known for excelling in masonic and military ribbons, school hatbands and badges, and above all in name labels and name tapes.
In the early 1960's William Franklin & Son Ltd. employed 200 people in two plants, one in Coventry, and one in Nuneaton. A subsidiary company, Wm. Franklin & Son (NI) Ltd., was opened in Banbridge, Northern Ireland in 1961. They were installed in a new 19,000 sq ft. factory built by the Northern Ireland Ministry of Commerce. This was extended in the mid 1970's to a 35,000 sq. ft. complex. The Company is one of the largest dedicated woven and embroidered badge suppliers in Europe.
After a management buyout in the 1970's Franklin's is now locally owned by people from the Banbridge area.
Franklin's Today
The company supplies youth organisations, the military and emergency services, commercial companies, charities and manufacturers at local, national and international levels within the sports, industrial, fashion, work wear and promotional markets, and services markets all over Europe, the UK and Ireland.
Quality is extremely important to us, both in the products we produce and in the service that we provide.
