Our new team member visits the Harrison Spinks farm and factory

Last month we had a fantastic opportunity to send our newest team member to learn about how mattresses and beds are produced in the Harrison Spinks Factory in Leeds. This is how he got on…

Nick was looking forward to visiting the Harrison Spinks Bed and Mattress Factory, having spoken to other team members who had visited previously. He stayed in the farmhouse, called Hornington Manor, on the Harrison Spinks farm, where they raise sheep and alpacas, for their wool, and grow hemp for its absorption and heat regulation properties, which are both ideal for mattress fillings. Alongside this hemp is also extremely efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps Harrison Spinks to be a carbon neutral company.

During the tour of the factory, Nick particularly enjoyed learning about all the different machinery they use and finding out how it works. From the machine that turns the springs in their pockets, to the ultrasonic welding machine that binds the pocketed springs together. This eliminates the need for glue in the mattresses therefore making it easier to recycle at the end of its life. There is a lot of specialised machinery at the Harrison Spinks site, which is made up of several large buildings, with the various processes situated in each of them. The weaving department was exceptionally loud, this is where the looms were constantly working to create the tick – the cover fabric – for the mattresses. It was so loud that we were required to wear ear plugs whilst walking through. However it was refreshing to see the fabric woven in the UK, especially on site, as this is being done less and less by manufacturers these days.

It was enjoyable seeing the whole process from start to finish; from the springs being pocketed, the fibres and fillings put in, to the mattress being tufted and the tapered edge sewn on. It was intriguing to see a mattress before it had all the fillings and covers put on it when it was just a huge rectangle of pocketed springs joined together. It was amazing to see just how deep and dense a mattress is before it has been compressed and tufted. Nick feels he now have a greater appreciation for how a mattress is made and can talk to customers more comprehensively about them.

Nick was pleasantly surprised by the importance Harrison Spinks places on being a green company. They make it a priority to ensure they are using sustainable materials and therefore making a sustainable product. Nick tries to make sustainability a priority within his personal life so it was uplifting to see a company doing so on a much larger scale. Having been informed about upcoming legislation which stipulates that mattresses will no longer be able to go to landfill by 2025 it is refreshing to see a mattress company anticipating this by creating mattresses that can be fully recycled – their Synergy Collection.

Nick really enjoyed his trip to the Harrison Spinks Factory and came away having learnt a lot. He is looking forward to sharing all that he’s learnt at the factory with customers in store.

We have a large range of Harrison Spinks Beds and Mattresses, check out our Somnus, Synergy and Velocity Collections.