Furniture firm plans a jobs boost for Hartlepool

A furniture business is preparing to expand and double its workforce after a rapid increase in orders.
John Harrington of Top Brass.John Harrington of Top Brass.
John Harrington of Top Brass.

Top Brass makes furnishings for hotel chains. Director John Harrington said Top Brass had “outgrown” its premises on the Longhill Industrial Estate in Hartlepool.

It will move into its new 30,000sq ft premises on Oaksway Industrial Estate in September.

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The new base is a former cake factory, which is undergoing extensive redevelopment to house manufacturing capabilities, a design studio and office space.

The workforce will also double from 16 to 32.

Mr Harrington, who is relocating to Hartlepool with his family from London where the business has a head office, said: “Our growth has been a real success story so far and has been aided by the decision to locate in Hartlepool where we find the myriad of skills and talents we need, but we are fully aware that if we stand still then we go backwards.”

All the Top Brass workforce can have an input in new products.

Mr Harrington added: “We created a table and chair set for children centred around the Rubik’s Cube, and we’ve provided seating for schools shaped like a caterpillar for story-telling.

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“We’ve also created a sofabed which pulls out into a bunkbed, there are lots of examples of things like that. We have a lot of talented people in our team, and that is reflected in the products we produce.”

In previous years Top Brass would outsource its work to create pieces of furniture, but now everything is done at the Hartlepool base.