Herbert Parkinson, a UK soft furnishings manufacturer, is set to recruit 70 new employees into next year as it is developing a secret new product line. Stuart McDonald, managing director of Herbert Parkinson Ltd, revealed the future plans as he showed the town’s MP Jake Berry around the company’s new £3 million ‘bespoke’ goods department.

The £3 million were invested by the owner of the John Lewis Partnership and were used in the development of the Harvest Mill factory in Monton Road, creating the highly-specialised service making individually-tailored curtains and blinds. McDonald showed Northern Powerhouse MP Jake Berry round the site, introducing him to the ‘partners’, as John Lewis call its employees, and revealing its new £10,000 quality laboratory.

“We are now in our final drive to recruit the remaining 20 of the 70 people needed. We need enthusiastic individuals who are keen to learn. We are currently developing a new soft furnishings line to complement our existing product range for launch next year but I cannot give any more details,” said McDonald.

“It is a further demonstration of the confidence John Lewis has in the Darwen site and its continuing investment here. I expect to see further recruitment of partners running into double figures in 2019,” he added.

McDonald is currently in the final stage of recruiting, with only 20 vacancies still available.         

Jake Berry met staff and was given a coaching session on a new £30,000 blind stitch hemmer by trainer Mick Fallon, who said: “I think we could make a sewing machinist out of him. We can train almost anybody.”

Herbert Parkinson is a leading supplier of soft furnishing products, which specialises in the design and manufacture of soft furnishing products. They provide a made to measure service on curtains and blinds and make up cushions, as well as producing a wide range of naturally filled duvets and pillows.

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