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<\/p>\nWhen Amanda McLaren arrived at the eighth-generation textile business, AW Hainsworth, she was the first \u2018outsider\u2019 to takeover at the helm.\u00a0 She tells Sheryl Moore how she\u2019s weaved her magic into Yorkshire\u2019s oldest textile firm.<\/p>\n
After more than 230 years in the hands of the Hainsworth family, the historic company was at a crossroads. \u00a0AW Hainsworth, whose cloth has adorned everyone from the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo to Prince William and Victoria Beckham, was now being run by the seventh generation of the Hainsworth family.<\/p>\n
While steeped in military and ceremonial history – King Charles got married in AW Hainsworth cloth and it featured heavily in his recent Coronation – previous generations had diversified into areas such as snooker tablecloths, home furnishings and protective clothing.<\/p>\n
But after years of underinvestment and mounting operational challenges, the business faced an uncertain future.<\/p>\n
The Stanningley-based company needed an outsider – someone with manufacturing expertise, strategic vision and the courage to challenge generations of inherited wisdom. And that person was Amanda McLaren.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the family recognised that they needed to bring in a different set of skills,\u201d McLaren recalls. \u00a0\u201cThe sixth and seventh generation had worked really hard to evolve AW Hainsworth\u2019s ceremonial history and made several acquisitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019d bought small textile companies which at the time were holding at lot of assets.\u00a0 The company was cash rich, and the additions gave them a foothold in many different markets, but they needed strategic direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs is sometimes the case with businesses run by generations of the same family, significant investment was required. When I came in, I saw years of underinvestment<\/p>\n
\u201cI spoke to the family about the need to heavily invest in assets, people and ageing buildings, and they agreed.\u201d<\/p>\n
McLaren set about rebuilding the company. After rewriting the business plan, she rebuilt the sales team, launched into new markets and, once the commercial landscape was established, formed a strategy to underpin it operationally.<\/p>\n
Since taking over the helm in 2021, McLaren has spearheaded a remarkable turnaround which has seen turnover grow from \u00a315m to \u00a323.5m, with ambitions to hit \u00a335m in the next few years.<\/p>\n
Armed with annual \u00a31m investment, buildings have been repaired and new machinery acquired. The investment has seen the establishment of an advanced engineering centre with 3D printing capabilities and a state-of-the-art laboratory.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re not just making fabric; we’re creating solutions,” say McLaren. And with plans for international expansion and a further \u00a310m investment strategy, AW Hainsworth is writing a new chapter in British manufacturing.<\/p>\n
Its resurrection as a cutting-edge leader in UK textiles, is a testament to innovation, resilience and Yorkshire grit which oozes out of MacLaren.<\/p>\n
However, understandably, for a family to let go of a business that they\u2019d run for more than 230 years, they wanted to make sure they hired the right person.<\/p>\n
What followed was a rigorous interview process. For McLaren, who had recently left her role as MD of Halifax-based textiles testing business, James Heal, each interview was a delicate dance of demonstrating technical expertise, strategic thinking, and cultural alignment with a family-owned business steeped in tradition.<\/p>\n
In the end, during her seventh interview, her approach was brutally honest and in a memorable moment at the she cut through corporate politeness, saying: \u201cIf you want politics and egotism at the top, please don’t employ me.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a risky strategy. \u201cThey must have decided they liked that,\u201d she reflects, \u201cBecause they offered me the job.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was more than just a provocative statement. McLaren brought a track record of successful business transformations, international manufacturing experience, and a deep understanding of the textile sector, having worked extensively with mills across India, Bangladesh, Turkey, and China.<\/p>\n
The family\u2019s initial approach was about learning to trust an external leader while maintaining family oversight.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s been a journey of transparency and honesty,\u201d McLaren explains. Monthly updates, comprehensive reporting, and a commitment to involving the family in strategic discussions became her approach.<\/p>\n
The eighth generation – now represented by two family members working directly in the business – have become her strongest supporters. One serves as operations director, another as a team leader, signalling a new era of family involvement.<\/p>\n
Founded in 1783 by 14-year-old Abimelech William Hainsworth known as \u2018old Bim\u2019, AW Hainsworth has woven its way through some of the most pivotal moments in British history.<\/p>\n
When the might of Napoleon\u2019s Imperial Guard was bearing down on the British lines of Waterloo, the \u2018thin scarlet line\u2019 was scarlet thanks to Hainsworth fabric.<\/p>\n
A W Hainsworth\u2019s khaki fabric was worn by British Soldiers in the First and Second World Wars. The Airforce\u2019s \u2018boys in blue\u2019 are in blue thanks to Hainsworth.<\/p>\n
Today the company\u2019s fabrics are used across vastly diverse sectors from bakery belting, aerospace and home furnishings to high end fashion, cue sports and piano felt<\/p>\n
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Its protective clothing division accounts for around 30% of revenue. Eighty per cent of UK firemen on the ground wear AW Hainsworth fabric as does 85% of the UK Police Force.<\/p>\n
McLaren has spent 37 years in manufacturing and engineering, with the last 17 years in textiles. Her rise in largely male dominated industries has been extraordinary and tough.\u00a0 Previous roles include project director at bus manufacturer, Optare and group manufacturing director at caravan and motorhome maker, Swift.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve spent my whole career working with men. Back in the 80s and 90s, I had to fight through some tough years, especially in the automotive sectors. It was hard being a woman and you only got through with grit and determination. There was no leeway for being pregnant, menopausal or if you were going through a tough time. Every job I did, I had to leave my private life at the gate and crack on, it was the only way to survive.\u201d<\/p>\n
McLaren now makes it personal business and remit to ensure women in the workplace don\u2019t have to go through that. She has also rewritten the rulebook on employee wellbeing, transforming a traditional textile business into a beacon of progressive workplace culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cFour years ago, we had absolutely nothing. No corporate social responsibility strategy, no understanding of people’s needs. It was clear that huge change was needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, the transformation is nothing short of remarkable. With 16 certified mental health first aiders representing 10% of their workforce, bi-weekly on-site counselling, and a comprehensive wellbeing program, AW Hainsworth has become a case study in holistic employee support.<\/p>\n
The numbers are compelling. Labour turnover is below the national average, mental health-related absenteeism is under 1%, and 53% of their workforce has joined in the last five years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I arrived, I was the only mental health first aider,\u201d says McLaren. \u201cThe HR strategy was non-existent. We needed to start from ground zero.”<\/p>\n
Her approach is multi-layered, monthly workshops tackle everything from ADHD and financial management to grief and menopause. Quarterly guest speakers have included organisations addressing hate crime, suicide prevention and prostate cancer awareness.<\/p>\n
HR polices on menopause were introduced. The training wasn’t just for women – men were educated about supporting colleagues through this significant life transition.<\/p>\n
\u201cMen were coming out of these sessions saying, ‘I had no idea what my wife was going through,'” McLaren recalls. \u201cThat’s real education. That’s real change.\u201d<\/p>\n
The company’s commitment extends beyond mental health. They’ve partnered with charities like Mind, Zarach (addressing child bed poverty), and the Howard Foundation, which supports homeless individuals returning to work.<\/p>\n
Supporting neurodivergent employees has also become a top priority. Working with the Leeds-based Lighthouse Futures Trust, AW Hainsworth has created pathways for individuals on the autism spectrum, recognizing that workplace support means understanding individual needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cBetween the age of 18 and 25, people are incredibly vulnerable. It’s not just about hiring – it’s about supporting. Sometimes that means talking to parents, understanding individual communication needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
The strategy goes beyond traditional wellness programs. They’ve created an environment where vulnerability is seen as strength, not weakness. \u201cIt’s okay to be vulnerable in this business,\u201d is more than a slogan – it’s a lived philosophy.<\/p>\n
For younger employees this approach is transformative, 29% are now under 35. It’s attracting talent that might have previously overlooked manufacturing as a career path through new apprenticeship sand graduate training programmes.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople are your biggest commodity,\u201d adds McLaren. \u00a0\u201cIt’s about fundamental human respect. If you haven’t got that right, you’re pretty screwed.”<\/p>\n
For the family, it was a calculated risk that has paid extraordinary dividends. They found more than just a MD – they discovered a leader who could honour their heritage while transforming their future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Meet our latest Chief in the Chair – Amanda McLaren, managing director at AW Hainsworth <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":271992,"featured_media":2141280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[137139,8],"coauthors":[137100],"class_list":["post-2141278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews","category-people","tag-top-story","tag-yorkshire"],"yoast_head":"\n