Family business will provide two million socks to the military
24 May 07
Staff at a Leicestershire-based business will be busy on their feet over the next couple of years as they've just won a contract to supply the UK military with one of its most vital pieces of equipment - socks!
L-R: Royal Navy Warrant Officer Jeff Sheppard, HJ Hall Sales Director Anton Jenkins and Sergeant Kevin Bagshaw surrounded by a selection of HJ Hall's products
[Picture: Robert Yardley]
HJ Hall has been awarded a two-year contract to supply socks to the Ministry of Defence at a value of approximately £3 million. Socks manufactured by the company during this time will supply all services within the Armed Forces.
The majority of the socks to be made are wool/nylon based; however there is also demand for more specialist lines, such as Coolmax® Desert Socks for use in extreme warm weather climates such as the deserts of Iraq, and cotton-rich physical training socks.
The company expects to make over two million pairs during the two-year contract, which will consist of ten different types of sock, with four sizes per option. The biggest line of socks is plain black, but other colours include khaki, stone and khaki and white.
The socks are machine knitted before the toes are closed up and the dye applied. Royal Navy Warrant Officer Jeff Sheppard and Sergeant Kevin Bagshaw, both based at the Armed Forces Careers Office in Leicester, went to the HJ Hall factory in nearby Hinckley to see the socks being produced:
"I used the socks in Iraq last year," said Sgt Bagshaw, "and they were brilliant at keeping me cool. It's very important to have good socks in the Army because you're on your feet all the time."
L-R: Warrant Officer Jeff Sheppard, Sergeant Kevin Bagshaw and HJ Hall Knitting Manager Ron Allen on the factory floor
[Picture: Robert Yardley]
HJ Hall has been designing and manufacturing high quality socks since 1882. The family-owned company is now in its fourth generation of ownership. They have been supplying the MOD with socks for 20 years and this new contract makes MOD the company's largest customer. Managing Director Guy Marsh said:
"We are delighted to have been chosen to supply socks to the MOD. The production volumes associated with the contract will provide a solid foundation for our manufacturing plant in Hinckley and will secure jobs within the company for the duration of the contract."
The contract awarded to HJ Hall will be managed by the Defence Clothing Integrated Project Team which is part of the MOD's Defence Equipment and Support organisation (DE&S).
DE&S equips and supports the UK's Armed Forces for current and future operations. It acquires and supports through-life, including disposal, equipment and services ranging from ships, aircraft, vehicles and weapons to electronic systems and information services.
It also satisfies ongoing requirements including food, clothing, medical supplies, maintenance and temporary accommodation as well as operating HM Naval Bases and the joint supply chain for land, sea and air.
