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Card clothing and related products

In the history of textile yarn manufacture, little change has occurred with regard to the carding engine. It is true that drive technology and electronics have developed at rates beyond comprehension, but way back when the first attempts at automation of the carding process were being developed, one of the key factors was the pinning of the roller or rollers which allowed the disentanglement of the mass of fibres and as a result allow a yarn to be spun. This is still very much the case today.

Carding principles

As time passed and advancements were made, the actual principles of carding have changed very little. The core functions of working, stripping, doffing and lifting still remain as the means of converting fibres into a form which can be converted into yarn. Whether these functions are performed by roller and clearer, revolving or stationary flats, the common factor is the card clothing. Factors of angle, population and fineness of wire still play a critical part in the production of high quality yarn.

James Holdsworth has been delivering excellence in this field since 1790 and has continually tried to keep abreast with the continuing developments in the textile arena and feel confident to face the challenges of the future.

New premises

2007 saw the creation of two new chapters in the long history of the oldest card clothing manufacturers in the world. Changes in the textile industry and economies worldwide dictate that in order to stay at the top of our game, keen emphasis has to be placed on production efficiency and quality. This is why at the start of 2007 the company moved to a new, purpose built, state-of-the-art facility in Marsden, West Yorkshire. Here it joins with the other two members of the company, Lila Hurst and Hirst and Williams, responsible for the manufacture of the card clothing foundation and the tempering, coating and hardening of fine card wires.

The move enabled the company to produce and assemble under one roof, alongside the existing two Holdsworth companies already operating in Holme Mills. The new 28,000 square feet building, set in the rolling hills of the Colne Valley, with the steel structure supported by granite bedrock, marks a return of textile manufacturing to an area steeped in textile history.

Combining the old style mill with new architecture, just as warp threads combine with weft and wire combines with foundation, here, all the key components that go into manufacturing and supplying the highest quality card clothing will be united and continue to supply customers at home and abroad.

Second Far East base

The company's ever-increasing customer base in China and the Far East inspired the second chapter. James Holdsworth's commitment to provide all its customers with a service and reliability, both of product and representation is second to none. In order to further enhance this for our Chinese and Far Eastern customers, it was decided that a second base be opened in Hong Kong to support the office already established in Beijing. The Hong Kong facility will mainly store and supply the ‘James Holdsworth Ring’, which is known throughout the high-pile plush industry for its ease of application and its quality/efficiency benefits. This store and distribution facility will vastly reduce delivery times and allow a more local point of contact that communicates in the same language.

Quality dedication

The three companies that make up James Holdsworth and Brothers Ltd. work closely together to continuously monitor quality at every step in the manufacture of flexible card fillet. Lila Hurst is responsible for the creation of the foundation; Hirst and Williams is responsible for the manufacture of wire; and finally James Holdsworth for the assembly of the fillet.

All are dedicated in the pursuit of quality. Developments in machinery automation have allowed sustained manufacturing runs, which in turn allows competitive prices and yet still ensure that all-important quality.

Diversification is also a key factor in survival, and with a committed team of sales and technical staff, coupled with highly-trained and experienced mechanical engineers, we are able to provide a service to a worldwide market which is second to none.

Additional products

We are able to complement our card clothing supply with a full range of roller coverings with limitless application potential, along with mechanical spares and engineering services such as spray welding shaft repair, complete mechanical overall and machine surveys.

In our continued efforts to supply the end user with a quality service, we have recently joined forces with Globus Textile Division, acting as their UK representatives. This enables James Holdsworth not only the ability to offer fine quality card clothing, but also condenser aprons and tapes. This gives our customers the opportunity to deal with one single contact when purchasing the items which matter most in the manufacture of quality yarns.