Meet the team

Department: Head of manufacturing

I joined HSL almost 20 years ago where I started out as a seamstress and worked my way up through the business. I never actually intended to work in manufacturing, I just sort of fell into it but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else now.

I would say that it has taken my whole 20 years here to gain the knowledge and understanding that I have today. A highlight over the years I have been here would have to be our visit from Princess Anne.

Working at HSL is like working with one big family, seeing the teams create beautiful furniture and the passion that they have is like nothing I have ever known.

Danny, Connor and Nathan

Department: Upholstery

D: I’ve worked at HSL for 16 years and have been involved in most departments over the years, I used to come and see my dad here for breakfast while he was at work (he always had a butty waiting for me). My favourite part of my job is working alongside my brothers, HSL is a very enjoyable place to work.

C: After finishing college at 17, I decided to join my dad and brothers at HSL, that was 10 years ago now. It took me around three months to hone my craft and it is so rewarding to produce great furniture. Everyone here is so approachable and the owners are genuine and caring, that feeling floods through the factory.

N: I found out about the job here at HSL through my dad and brothers and working with them everyday is the best part of my job. I’m defiantly the funniest brother, I love to have a laugh with my colleagues while working, I love to learn about new products and challenging myself to upholster the chairs as fast as I can. There is such a great atmosphere here, everyone is very caring and respectful. 

Department: Quality Control

I have worked at HSL for 9 years and during that time I have worked in various areas of the business, I started in the prep team and then moved over to our delivery team for three years before finally joining Quality Control.

I found out about the job as a lot of my family work here, and after leaving Rugby league (I am the oldest Rugby League player still going) I decided that HSL was the place for me.

My favourite part of my job is seeing the finished product that I know will be delivered to our customers across the country. Working at HSL is like working with one big family and I really enjoy seeing the finished product before it leaves us.

Department: Cushion fill

I found out about the job at HSL through a friend of mine, that was 5 years ago and I haven’t looked back since! Throughout my time here I have worked in upholstery, actions, prep, assembly and cushion fill and I have enjoyed working in different departments and working with different people.

Outside of work, I love to travel and discover new places when I can. I also enjoy photography and cooking in my spare time.

I enjoy working at HSL because I get to work with wonderful people every day.

Department: Sewing

Since leaving school, I developed a passion for sewing which I have been practicing for the past 38 years. Initially, I worked as a self-employed costume maker for 11 years. However, my desire to work within a team again led me to seek new opportunities.

It was through a friend who worked at HSL that I discovered they were hiring sewing machinists. Intrigued by the prospect of applying my sewing skills in a different industry, specifically furniture and upholstery, I decided to join HSL and have been here for over 5 years.

What makes working at HSL truly special is the sense of belonging within the company; it feels like being part of one big family. The warm and welcoming nature of everyone involved makes coming to work a joy.

Department: CNC

I have worked at HSL for 9 years and while I am based in the CNC department I also work across the business looking into Health and Safety for all of our colleagues. I joined the business as a result of my family and friends working here.

Every day is different for me at work, I work across all departments and can be asked to fill in for a colleague if their department is particularly busy that day. I have always worked as a Supervisor or a Wood Shop Manager so I am able to step into most roles within our factory, my favourite part of my job is overseeing all the departments working together to create the end product for our customers.

I really enjoy working at HSL, it is a great place to work, and as a company they really care about their employees.

Department: Frames

I have worked at HSL for 13 years and found out about the role through some of my friends who also worked here. I started out in our Warehouse and then moved over to our Despatch unit until I eventually ended up in frames.

A typical day for me would start with loading my trolly full of all the parts needed to build my frames, I then arrange all of the parts I need into sections and begin building the frames. It took me around six months to hone my craft and I love creating the product and seeing everything come to life. The atmosphere at HSL is so friendly, it is a pleasure to work with everyone.