The company behind the familiar Henry vacuum cleaner is putting more than £85m into its Somerset base, strengthening British manufacturing while preparing for its next phase of growth.
Numatic International’s investment in Chard covers expanded production, new product development, renewable energy and a major distribution facility. The business employs 1,200 people, turns over £260m a year and exports to more than 100 countries.
New facilities and more manufacturing capacity
The ongoing expansion at Numatic’s Chard hub will add 24,500 square metres of space. It includes a newly opened Research & Development Centre of Excellence and an 8,000-pallet global distribution centre, which is due to be completed in spring 2027.
The investment is also aimed at making the site more energy-efficient. A new 2,672-panel solar array can provide up to 30% of the manufacturing site’s electricity needs. Numatic says that is enough power to make the equivalent of 500,000 Henry vacuum cleaners each year.
Further rooftop solar is planned, with the company aiming to generate half of the factory’s electricity from solar power by 2030. Alongside improved energy security, the move is expected to reduce the site’s energy costs.
45 years of Henry
The investment comes as Numatic celebrates 45 years of Henry, one of the UK’s best-known manufactured products. Designed, engineered and made in Britain, the vacuum is the UK’s best-selling domestic cleaner by volume, with more than one million made each year.
More than 20 million Henrys have been produced since the model launched in 1981, and one in four UK households is said to own one.
To mark National Manufacturing Day on 24 September, Numatic is producing 1,000 limited-edition Henry machines. The design features Henry’s familiar face alongside an automated arm placing a ‘y’ into his name, while his bowler hat carries a black-and-white Union Jack and the words ‘Made in the UK’.
The special edition will be available from 24 September through myhenry.com, priced at £129.99.
Building for a lower-carbon future
Numatic already uses recycled plastic in its products and designs them to be durable and repairable, helping extend their working lives and reduce waste. Its carbon reduction plan, verified by the Science Based Targets initiative, sets an ambition of reaching net zero by 2050.
The company says the wider investment will support its people, facilities and ability to develop products in Somerset. More than 270 visitors were welcomed to the factory for National Manufacturing Day, offering a closer look at the skills and processes behind a familiar British product.
Why this is good news for Britain
Numatic’s plans support 1,200 jobs in Somerset while keeping research, engineering and large-scale production in the UK. The solar investment should also cut energy costs and emissions at a major British manufacturing site, while the expanded facilities support exports to more than 100 countries.
