History

WALTER WESTIN

In 1921, Walter Westin incorporated his electrical contracting business, founded after serving as a merchant seaman in World War one. Walter was soon joined by his two sons Derek and Cyril, who both eventually joined the company.

Over the years, the two sons further developed the business, with Derek overseeing admin and accounting tasks, and Cyril being given free rein as an innovator and source of new ideas.

Cyril would constantly engage in his own time in engineering projects including renovating vintage cars and boat building, and a turning point for Westin as a company came when Walter Westin, who recognised his sons’ innovative streak, bought Cyril a welding kit. Cyril soon identified a commercial use for this technology.

FIRE PLACE SURROUNDS

From the late 1940’s until the late seventies, Westin continued as an electrical repairs business, but also became the market leader in fireplace surrounds and canopies. Each individual piece in either copper, brass or stainless steel was crafted by hand by a skilled workforce. Sheet metal was cut with shears and then painstakingly textured by hand to create the popular hammered effect. This was the case for years until Cyril, ever the innovator, created a roller to apply the hammered effect which hugely increased production output.

The company prided itself on perfection, and instilled in the workforce a pride in their work emphasising the craftsmanship involved in production, and that every fire surround and hood must be worthy of the Westin name before it left the premises. An emphasis on craftsmanship and quality that remains to this day.

Walter Westin “retired” during the 1960’s due to poor health and handed the reins over to the capable hands of Derek and Cyril, but still insisted on visiting the factory every morning without fail to “spread peace and joy”.

1970’s

The late 1970’s brought more change with the rise of the domestic cooker. With Westin now operating the fire surrounds side of the business, and the electrical repairs business (as Westin Drives Limited, who are still thriving today), a natural progression for fire surrounds was to add filters and a motor and migrate to the kitchen industry.

Production facility extension. Late 1970’s

Cooker hood assembly. 1980’s

Production facility extension, late 1970’s

Westin stand for the Interplan Exhibition, NEC Birmingham, 1980’s

1980’s

The late 1970’s brought more change with the rise of the domestic cooker. With Westin renowned for the fireplace canopies, a natural progression from this was to add filters and a motor and migrate to the kitchen industry.

1990’s

The market gradually reduced during the 1990’s, but brand new opportunities arose with the development of the domestic range cooker, and its specialist extraction requirements.

Cyril and Derek retired in 1994 and the business along with the Phoenix Mills home was purchased by local businessman John Eastwood, who was well known to the company.

Along with John Eastwood came his good friend John Reed as managing director, and together they drove the company further into the expanding range cooker and larger domestic extraction market.

This process was significantly encouraged when the two realised that one corner of the workshop was already manufacturing hoods for Harrods on a small but regular basis, which had initially gone unnoticed by them.

The opportunity was there, and over the coming years the company constantly invested in improving both the premises and machinery, together with a program of staff development, which has progressed apprentices to director level. The company has been fortunate in acquiring adjoining premises and now has approximately 70,000 square feet of usable space… more will be needed.

The principal addition was Grove Mills, which had been extensively rebuilt after a major fire had destroyed half of the building in 1948. The building was largely rebuilt with a concrete frame, creating a strong and usable space. Much renovation and development work has been undertaken in this building to create the current multifunctional, modern facilities.

The market gradually reduced during the 1990’s, but brand new opportunities arose with the development of the domestic range cooker, and its specialist extraction requirements.

Cyril and Derek retired in 1994 and the business along with the Phoenix Mills home was purchased by local businessman John Eastwood, who was well known to the company.

Along with John Eastwood came his good friend John Reed as managing director, and together they drove the company further into the expanding range cooker and larger domestic extraction market.

This process was significantly encouraged when the two realised that one corner of the workshop was already manufacturing hoods for Harrods on a small but regular basis, which had initially gone unnoticed by them.

The opportunity was there, and over the coming years the company constantly invested in improving both the premises and machinery, together with a program of staff development, which has progressed apprentices to director level. The company has been fortunate in acquiring adjoining premises and now has approximately 70,000 square feet of usable space… more will be needed.

The principal addition was Grove Mills, which had been extensively rebuilt after a major fire had destroyed half of the building in 1948. The building was largely rebuilt with a concrete frame, creating a strong and usable space. Much renovation and development work has been undertaken in this building to create the current multifunctional, modern facilities.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Today Westin is at the forefront of Kitchen extraction in the UK, and regularly works with the biggest names in the kitchen design and interiors industry. The development of new products, technologies and most importantly – the team, still drives us as much now as it ever has.

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