Congratulations to our neighbor across the pond, Hunter Apparel Solutions Limited, which celebrated its 85th anniversary on June 25th.
Hunter was established in Belfast in 1936 as Hunter Brothers Limited, by Reggie and Frank Hunter. After World War II, the company moved to Carlisle Road, Derry~Londonderry before moving to their current location in Springtown Industrial Estate in 1989. The company transitioned through several names reflecting the evolution of the business before becoming Hunter Apparel Solutions Limited.
The current CEO Simon Hunter, is the thrid generation of the family to run the company and works alongside other family members. Over the years, Hunter has employed over 1000 people as well as providing tens of thousands of jobs through their sub-contracting activities.
Hunter has worked with many global brands including London Fire Brigade, Virgin, and Telefonica. In 2020, Hunter had the privilege to support the UK government as a key provider of Covid-related PPE. This allowed Hunter to deliver over 55 million units of fully certified and compliant PPE to the UK’s frontlines while providing support throughout the UK and Ireland to other organizations.
Throughout 2020, Hunter continued to invest internally, improving its R&D capabilities, warehousing and implementing their “lean & agile” operational efficiency model. This included the implementation of advanced robotics, cutting-edge technology, and a major IT and software investment.
“It has been a highlight of my career to lead the company through the challenges of 2020 with the pandemic as its backdrop,” Simon Hunter commented. “It is fantastic that the company has survived through 85 years making it one of the longest established companies in the city and in our industry.”
In 2019 Simon Hunter was awarded an M.B.E. by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II for his services to business and the economy; in 2021 his father, Graham Hunter, was awarded an O.B.E. for his work over 5 decades at Hunter and for his charitable works throughout the local community.
