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{{Short description|British appliance manufacturer}}
{{Use dmy dates|true|date=December 2016}}
{{use British English|true|date=December 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = Numatic International Ltd.
| name = Numatic International Ltd.
| logo = Numatic International logo.svg
| logo = Numatic_International_logo.svg
| caption =
| caption =
| type = [[Privately held company|Private company]]
| type = [[Privately held company|Private Limited Company]]
| traded_as =
| traded_as =
⚫
| industry = [[Major appliance]]
| genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies -->
| fate =
| genre =
| predecessor =
| fate =
| successor =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| foundation = {{start date and age|1969}}
| foundation = {{start date and age|df=yes|1969|09|20}}<br> (As Numatic Engineering Limited)
| founder = Chris Duncan
| founder = Chris Duncan
| defunct = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| location_city = [[Chard, Somerset]]
| location_city = [[Chard, Somerset|Chard]], [[Somerset]]
⚫
| locations =
⚫
| location_country = [[England]], [[United Kingdom]]
| location =
| area_served =
⚫
| key_people = Chris Duncan<br/><small>(Chairman and Founder)</small><br/>Stuart Cochrane<br/><small>(Manufacturing Manager)</small>
⚫
| locations =
⚫
| products = [[Vacuum cleaner]]s and other cleaning equipment ([[Henry (vacuum)|Henry]])
| area_served =
⚫
| services =
⚫
| key_people = Chris Duncan<br/><small>([[Managing Director]])</small><br/>Stuart Cochrane<br/><small>(Manufacturing manager)</small>
⚫
| revenue = {{profit}} [[Pound sterling|GB £]]234.6&nbsp;million (2023)<ref name="mt">{{cite news|author= Philip Beresford |url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1318893|title=Britain's Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2014: No. 96 – Christopher Duncan, Numatic |newspaper=Management Today |date=26 October 2014 }}</ref>
⚫
| industry = [[Major appliance|Technology]]
⚫
| products = [[Vacuum cleaner]]s and other cleaning equipments
⚫
| services =
⚫
| revenue = {{profit}} [[Pound sterling|GB £]]124.4 million (2013)<ref name="mt">{{cite news|author= Philip Beresford Sunday |url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1318893|title=Britain's Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2014: No. 96 - Christopher Duncan, Numatic |publisher=[[Haymarket Media Group|Management Today]] |date=26 October 2014 }}</ref>
| operating_income =
| operating_income =
| net_income = {{profit}} [[Pound sterling|GB £]]10 million (2013)<ref name="mt" />
| net_income = {{profit}} [[Pound sterling|GB £]]10&nbsp;million (2013)<ref name="mt" />
| aum =
| aum = <!-- Only used with financial services companies -->
| assets =
| assets =
| equity =
| equity =
| owner = Chris Duncan
| owner =
| num_employees = 885 (2014)<ref>http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1318893</ref>
| num_employees = 1,000 (2017)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reed.co.uk/company-profile/numatic-international-ltd-47978|title = Working at Numatic International Ltd &#124; reed.co.uk}}</ref>
| parent =
| parent =
| divisions =
| divisions =
| subsid =
| subsid =
| footnotes =
⚫
| homepage = {{URL|http://www.numatic.co.uk|numatic.co.uk}}
| footnotes =
| intl =
⚫
| location_country = England, United Kingdom
| intl =
⚫
| homepage = {{URL|numatic.co.uk}}
}}
}}
⚫
'''Numatic International Ltd''' (Founded as '''Numatic Engineering Limited''') is a British manufacturer primarily producing domestic, commercial and industrial cleaning and maintenance equipment distributed worldwide.<ref name=guardian/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/daveharvey/2011/03/made_in_chard_the_somerset_fac.html|title=BBC – West Country Cash: Made in Chard: The Somerset factory keeping it local|access-date=18 March 2016}}</ref> It is one of the major producers of [[vacuum cleaner]]s in the United Kingdom,<ref name=":0" /> producing the [[Henry (vacuum)|''Henry'']] domestic vacuum cleaner and its related models, which also shares a canister design with the "smiling face" appearance and human name.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/news/10840679.Numatic_boss_praises_staff_after_receiving_award/|title=Numatic boss praises staff after receiving award|website=[[Chard & Ilminster News]]|access-date=18 March 2016}}</ref>


⚫
The company was founded in 1969, and {{As of|2024|lc=y}} is owned solely by Chairman and Founder Chris Duncan, who created the compact shape for the cleaner.<ref name=guardian/> The company owns a manufacturing facility in [[Chard, Somerset]], South West England,<ref name=guardian/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Brand-Somerset-adds-value/story-26656223-detail/story.html|title=Why "Brand Somerset" adds value for business|website=Western Morning News|access-date=18 March 2016}}</ref> and eight subsidiary companies located in France, South Africa, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain and Italy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Supplier Locator |url=https://numatic.co.uk/contact/supplier-locator/ |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=Numatic International |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2017, the company employed over 1000 people and produced 4,500 units per day, over 40% of which were exported.<ref name=guardian>Ian Jack, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 24 July 2010, [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jul/24/can-manufacturing-fill-british-economic-vacuum Can manufacturing fill Britain's economic vacuum?]</ref>
⚫
'''Numatic International Ltd.''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] manufacturer, primarily making domestic, commercial and industrial cleaning and maintenance equipment for distribution worldwide.<ref name=guardian/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/daveharvey/2011/03/made_in_chard_the_somerset_fac.html|title=BBC - West Country Cash: Made in Chard: The Somerset factory keeping it local|access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref> It is one of the major producers of vacuum cleaners in the UK.,<ref name=":0" /> and best known for its popular and [[cultural icon|iconic]] "Henry" domestic [[vacuum cleaner]], and related models, which are canister designs having human names and 'smiling face' appearances.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chardandilminsternews.co.uk/news/10840679.Numatic_boss_praises_staff_after_receiving_award/|title=Numatic boss praises staff after receiving award|website=Chard & Ilminster News|access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref>
<ref name="mt"/>


==Founding==
⚫
The company was founded and as of 2015 is still solely owned, by Chris Duncan, who created the compact shape for "Henry" in 1968.<ref name=guardian/> It owns a manufacturing facility located in [[Chard, Somerset]] in south-west [[England]],<ref name=guardian/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Brand-Somerset-adds-value/story-26656223-detail/story.html|title=Why 'Brand Somerset' adds value for business|website=Western Morning News|language=en-GB|access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref> and wholly owned [[distributor]]s in [[France]], [[Germany]], the [[Netherlands]], and [[South Africa]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.numatic.fr/le-groupe.html|title=Fabrication et la commercialisation de matériel d'aspiration et de nettoyag|last=LUNICREA|website=www.numatic.fr|access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.numatic.de/unternehmen/geschichte/|title=Geschichte - Numatic|website=Numatic|language=de-DE|access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.numatic.nl/numatic/geschiedenis/|title=Geschiedenis|website=www.numatic.nl|access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.numatic.co.za/numatic_history/|title=Numatic History|last=www.vaimo.com|first=Vaimo -|website=www.numatic.co.za|access-date=2016-03-18}}</ref> The company employs over 885 people, and produces 4500 units per day, over 40% of which are for export.<ref name=guardian>Ian Jack, ''[[The Guardian]]'', 24 July 2010, [https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/jul/24/can-manufacturing-fill-british-economic-vacuum Can manufacturing fill Britain's economic vacuum?]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.managementtoday.co.uk/news/1318893|title=Britain's Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2014: No. 96 = Christopher Duncan, Numatic|last=Interactive|first=Haymarket Business|website=www.managementtoday.co.uk|access-date=2016-03-19}}</ref>
Chris Duncan launched Numatic in 1969, having spotted a gap in the market for a device to clean coal and gas-fired boilers. He started with an oil drum, found a washing-up bowl that fitted on top, and ordered 5,000. The prototype is in the Numatic museum. The two-inch oil drum thread is still used for the later Henry models' nose.<ref name=usborne>{{Cite news |title=Sucks to be him! How Henry the vacuum cleaner became an accidental design icon |last=Usborne |first=Simon |work=The Guardian |date=24 July 2021 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jul/24/how-henry-vacuum-cleaner-became-accidental-design-icon}}</ref>


One evening during a trade show in the mid-1970s, Duncan and a salesman, bored, dressed up one of their current commercial cleaners with ribbon, a union flag badge, and something like a hat, then chalked a crude smile under the hose connector. The next day, visitors noticed it and laughed; Duncan then decided to ask his advertising people to design a proper face; they nicknamed the result "Henry". At another trade show, a children's hospital was interested in the vacuum cleaners to encourage the recovering children to help with the cleaning. Production, still focused on the commercial market, was increased.<ref name=usborne/> The Henry models became the company's major product.
== Henry ==


== Domestic vacuums (''Henry'') {{anchor|Henery}} ==
[[Image:Numatic henry 001.jpg|right|thumb|Numatic's ''Henry'' vacuum cleaner]]
{{main article|Henry (vacuum)|List of Henry vacuum cleaners}}
One of Numatic's most popular products is a [[vacuum cleaner]] called Henry. It is easily distinguishable by the large smiling face on the front of the canister (there's a 3D clip-on face which has eyes and a mouth, and the vacuum's hose forms its nose). Although designing the shape, Duncan did not conceive the "Henry" character. This was designed by Michael Walsh FCSD a graphic designer who was asked to create coloring for the machine. In fact he went further. Michael could see that the top of the machine could be a black bowler hat while the base could be a character face. He created the eyes and mouth and used the hose as a nose for sucking. Then he needed a name. Thinking that "Hoover" is now a generic term for vacuum cleaners he decided to call it "Henry" as in "Henry the Hoover".
[[File:Numatic_Henry_vacuum_cleaner_(3308986870)_(cropped).jpg|thumb|A Henry HVR200-22 from 2007-2008.]]
A new parking bracket was added in September 2012. Since the introduction of Henry in 1981, over 7 million have been produced worldwide.<ref name=guardian/>
[[File:HettyHET200A.png|thumb|A Hetty HET200A from 2009.]]

One of Numatic's most popular products is the Henry canister [[vacuum cleaner]].<ref name="usborne" /> It has a large smiling face on the front of the canister, with the vacuum's hose connector or hose (if fitted) forming its nose. The face was originally three stickers that had to be applied to the canister, but the face was then applied directly to the body, and later replaced by a 3D clip-on face which is fitted by the user in regions where a factory-fitted face is considered a dangerous risk encouraging children to play with the device.<ref name=usborne/> A new parking bracket was added in September 2012. Since the introduction of Henry in 1981, more than 14 million Henry vacuums have been made.<ref name="usborne" /> Henry, along with his female counterpart ''Hetty'', now have merchandise based on them (such as plush toys and T-shirts). There are also Henry desktop cleaners for cleaning desks and tables, which are neither made nor sold by Numatic International, but by Paladone Products.<ref name="guardian" />
== Vacuum cleaners targeting domestic and light service==
[[File:Staubsauger Henry plus! 170.jpg|thumb|Henry plus! 170]]
Since Henry's original release in 1981, a whole family of vacuum cleaners has been introduced in different sizes and colours and with different specifications and uses (including a wet and dry model and a multi-functional wet/dry and carpet shampoo cleaner). All the original series are based on British names. The current 2017 range are:
''Henry'' has a number of models, such as the Henry Cordless (which is run off chargeable batteries), the Henry Micro (which reduces exposure to allergens), and the ''Henry Xtra'' (which is made specifically for carpets and cleaning pet hair). Henry also has many variations of the name that is on the vacuum, such as ''Hetty'' (which is pink, has long eyelashes, and leans towards a female target market), ''Harry'' (which is green, was originally called ''Henry Hound'', and leans towards pet owners), ''James'' (which was originally yellow, but its colour was changed to blue in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.numatic.co.uk/product-view.aspx?id=369&r=4&sr=1|title=James JVP180|last=Numatic International Ltd.|access-date=25 April 2019}}</ref> and has a caddy top), and many others. ''Henry'' is most prominent in the United Kingdom where it is manufactured, but it can be purchased in other countries. Since ''Henry'''s original release in 1981, a family of vacuum cleaners have been introduced in different sizes and colours with different specifications and uses (including a wet and dry model and a multi-functional wet/dry and carpet shampoo cleaner). All the original series, some of which have now been discontinued, are based on British names, such as ''Basil'', ''Edward'', ''Charles'' and ''George''.

Henry200, HenryCordless, Henry160 (Not available in UK) (HenryXtra & HenryMicro)
Hetty200, Hetty160, HettyCordless
Harry,
James,
Charles,
George and Henry and Hetty Spray Mop
Jack (Tesco Exclusive, Now Discontinued)
HenryPet (Coming Out September 2017)

Numatic have also made many vacuum cleaners differing from the 2010 range. Many of them are not sold as 2016. The Henry and Hetty vacuum cleaners have also gone beyond vacuum cleaners. They have since 2010 expanded to desktop cleaners, toys,
spray mops, boxes, office file holders and a specially made Airo-Brush head has been made for the Henry. When the Henry vacuum cleaner was first released in 1981, consumer had a sticker placed on the Henry. This meant they had to register to the company for insured life of the vacuum. Accessories include stainless steel tubes, HepaFlo dust bags, an upholstery tool, a crevice tool, a Nuflex threaded hose, a double taper hose/full adapter, a Numatic Airo-Brush Head with rotating bristles(For HenryXtra), a soft dusting brush and an upholstery nozzle with a sliding brush.

== Commercial, industrial, and specialised products==

As well as cylinder vacuum cleaners and carpet washers, Numatic also offers a range of VersaCare products and systems. One of the most notable VersaCare systems is an VCN1404 Mini, which is an exceptionally compact surface module designed to be used where the primary object is to clean and to be seen to be clean. This is the objective of mainly all the VersaCare systems, including the VCN1804 All Terrain, which has been developed from the ground up, giving high priority to exceptional mobility, constructional integrity and usability, with numerous optional facilities able to be added to extend the scope of the product to meet different requirements.

== Reviews ==

Numatic products reviewed by various users on YouTube and other video sharing websites have been given good results.<ref>{{Citation|last=GoVacuums|title=Numatic Henry HVR200A HVR200 22 Vacuum Cleaner Review & Testimonial Hetty James George Harry Charles|date=2011-12-22|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s58s_VIHrQo|accessdate=2016-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=ibaisaic|title=Numatic Henry HVR 200-12 Vacuum Cleaner Demonstration & Review|date=2015-06-26|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAQ8m-EsUBw|accessdate=2016-03-18}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Steve Hart|title=Numatic Henry Vacuum Cleaner Review|date=2016-02-11|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAWF98K3Zfc|accessdate=2016-03-18}}</ref> As a result, some users have even uploaded videos of the Numatic Henry (HVR200-12) vacuuming up industrial waste, torture tests and hard duty with the Numatic Henry (older versions like the HVR200 or the HVR200-22 and HVR200A) and carpet cleaning with the Numatic George<ref>{{Citation|last=ibaisaic|title=Numatic George GVE 370 Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner Demonstration|date=2013-09-19|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OetpwslSCFo|accessdate=2016-03-19}}</ref> and other Numatic carpet cleaners.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.numatic.co.uk Numatic's website]
* [http://www.numatic.co.uk Numatic International official website]


[[Category:1969 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1969 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
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[[Category:Companies based in Somerset]]
[[Category:Companies based in Somerset]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1969]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1969]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Home appliance manufacturers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Vacuum cleaner manufacturers]]
[[Category:Vacuum cleaner manufacturers]]
[[Category:English brands]]

Latest revision as of 19:14, 22 July 2024

Numatic International Ltd.
Company typePrivate Limited Company
IndustryMajor appliance
Founded20 September 1969; 55 years ago (1969-09-20)
(As Numatic Engineering Limited)
FounderChris Duncan
Headquarters
Chard, Somerset
,
England, United Kingdom
Key people
Chris Duncan
(Chairman and Founder)
Stuart Cochrane
(Manufacturing Manager)
ProductsVacuum cleaners and other cleaning equipment (Henry)
RevenueIncrease GB £234.6 million (2023)[1]
Increase GB £10 million (2013)[1]
Number of employees
1,000 (2017)[2]
Websitenumatic.co.uk

Numatic International Ltd (Founded as Numatic Engineering Limited) is a British manufacturer primarily producing domestic, commercial and industrial cleaning and maintenance equipment distributed worldwide.[3][4] It is one of the major producers of vacuum cleaners in the United Kingdom,[4] producing the Henry domestic vacuum cleaner and its related models, which also shares a canister design with the "smiling face" appearance and human name.[4][5]

The company was founded in 1969, and as of 2024 is owned solely by Chairman and Founder Chris Duncan, who created the compact shape for the cleaner.[3] The company owns a manufacturing facility in Chard, Somerset, South West England,[3][6] and eight subsidiary companies located in France, South Africa, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain and Italy.[7] In 2017, the company employed over 1000 people and produced 4,500 units per day, over 40% of which were exported.[3] [1]

Founding

[edit]

Chris Duncan launched Numatic in 1969, having spotted a gap in the market for a device to clean coal and gas-fired boilers. He started with an oil drum, found a washing-up bowl that fitted on top, and ordered 5,000. The prototype is in the Numatic museum. The two-inch oil drum thread is still used for the later Henry models' nose.[8]

One evening during a trade show in the mid-1970s, Duncan and a salesman, bored, dressed up one of their current commercial cleaners with ribbon, a union flag badge, and something like a hat, then chalked a crude smile under the hose connector. The next day, visitors noticed it and laughed; Duncan then decided to ask his advertising people to design a proper face; they nicknamed the result "Henry". At another trade show, a children's hospital was interested in the vacuum cleaners to encourage the recovering children to help with the cleaning. Production, still focused on the commercial market, was increased.[8] The Henry models became the company's major product.

Domestic vacuums (Henry)

[edit]
Main articles: Henry (vacuum) and List of Henry vacuum cleaners
A Henry HVR200-22 from 2007-2008.
A Hetty HET200A from 2009.

One of Numatic's most popular products is the Henry canister vacuum cleaner.[8] It has a large smiling face on the front of the canister, with the vacuum's hose connector or hose (if fitted) forming its nose. The face was originally three stickers that had to be applied to the canister, but the face was then applied directly to the body, and later replaced by a 3D clip-on face which is fitted by the user in regions where a factory-fitted face is considered a dangerous risk encouraging children to play with the device.[8] A new parking bracket was added in September 2012. Since the introduction of Henry in 1981, more than 14 million Henry vacuums have been made.[8] Henry, along with his female counterpart Hetty, now have merchandise based on them (such as plush toys and T-shirts). There are also Henry desktop cleaners for cleaning desks and tables, which are neither made nor sold by Numatic International, but by Paladone Products.[3]

Henry plus! 170

Henry has a number of models, such as the Henry Cordless (which is run off chargeable batteries), the Henry Micro (which reduces exposure to allergens), and the Henry Xtra (which is made specifically for carpets and cleaning pet hair). Henry also has many variations of the name that is on the vacuum, such as Hetty (which is pink, has long eyelashes, and leans towards a female target market), Harry (which is green, was originally called Henry Hound, and leans towards pet owners), James (which was originally yellow, but its colour was changed to blue in 2019,[9] and has a caddy top), and many others. Henry is most prominent in the United Kingdom where it is manufactured, but it can be purchased in other countries. Since Henry's original release in 1981, a family of vacuum cleaners have been introduced in different sizes and colours with different specifications and uses (including a wet and dry model and a multi-functional wet/dry and carpet shampoo cleaner). All the original series, some of which have now been discontinued, are based on British names, such as Basil, Edward, Charles and George.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Philip Beresford (26 October 2014). "Britain's Top 100 Entrepreneurs 2014: No. 96 – Christopher Duncan, Numatic". Management Today.
  2. ^ "Working at Numatic International Ltd | reed.co.uk".
  3. ^ a b c d e Ian Jack, The Guardian, 24 July 2010, Can manufacturing fill Britain's economic vacuum?
  4. ^ a b c "BBC – West Country Cash: Made in Chard: The Somerset factory keeping it local". Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Numatic boss praises staff after receiving award". Chard & Ilminster News. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Why "Brand Somerset" adds value for business". Western Morning News. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Supplier Locator". Numatic International. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e Usborne, Simon (24 July 2021). "Sucks to be him! How Henry the vacuum cleaner became an accidental design icon". The Guardian.
  9. ^ Numatic International Ltd. "James JVP180". Retrieved 25 April 2019.
[edit]
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