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A visit by Brian Hall, Editor
Brabbin & Rudd was founded Bolton 1895, and the company's 100 plus years of experience and dedication to customer service has resulted in a loyal and growing customer base.
The range of customers Brabbin's serves is impressive, from self-employed tradesmen to multinational corporations, and anyone else who appreciates good service and good products. Each of the company's bases, in Bolton and in Wigan, serves a catchment area way in excess of 30 miles.
It just shows how far the company has come since, those four generations ago it was founded, in 1895, by Herbert Brabbin. Initially the company began as a mill furnishers, but as time passed and the needs of industry changed, so did the nature of the business. In the early days the company was known as Staffords High Class Tools & Cutlery, however in 1910 HJ Rudd became a partner and the company adopted the name it keeps to this day.
An important period for the company followed 1955, it was then run by Herbert's grandson and under his leadership it became a limited company. This was followed by a five-year programme, which saw the company develop and grow to a whole new level, and its premises were expanded.
Another important, and more recent advance was the establishment of the Wigan Branch in 1971, which caters for an area from St. Helens to Skelmersdale, and north to Chorley, giving a whole new group of customers the benefit of Brabbin & Rudd's experience, service and excellent range.
By the eighties In Bolton, despite the expansion of the existing premises the company was quickly in need of even more space, the move to the new Derby street premises gave the company a purpose built home with 15,000ft of space.
But by the early 90's demand for the company's services had carried on growing to such an extent that the company needed to move, so it left its premises in Derby Street, that was made up of three terraced houses that had been knocked together and relocated to the new, larger, Walker Street premises. These newest premises are easily accessible from the Motorway and the town centre, making it the ideal location for every customer, an essential element of a modern business.
In common with many successful tool businesses the company is a member of THS having joined in the mid-eighties. Membership, with all its advantages helped give Brabbin & Rudd another a major boost. As Andrew Brabbin says: "Being a member opened up more suppliers to Brabbin & Rudd, which in turn enabled the customer to receive a better and wider range of products."
Brabbin & Rudd is still a growing, thriving company which keeps its 22 staff, 21 full time staff plus one part timer, very busy across its two bases. Seven of the staff run the company's Wigan branch while the others are located at the Bolton Branch.
With 60,000 lines stocked, and access to a vast number of suppliers through THS it is no wonder the company is in such high demand. At the Bolton Branch the large car park makes it a great location for customers stopping and picking up, with a steady flow of visitors coming and going.
Brand names like Stanley, Stahwille, Marples, Draper and Spear & Jackson are prominent in the hand tools sections, while power tools are well represented by brands such as Makita, Bosch, Atlas Copco and Draper. The Brabbin & Rudd outlets are also fully stocked with cutting tools and abrasives, health and safety supplies, electric and gas welding equipment, engineering supplies and precision equipment. Of course there is also a massive stock of ironmongery and hardware, with fasteners for every application.
The company makes the proud claim to have the 'most comprehensive range of industrial supplies under one roof'. It is a claim that can easily be believed and as one contractor who walked into the trade counter was heard to say to his mate: 'Now this is a proper tool shop.'
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Airstream Communications