Festivities finally marked our 30th anniversary as fun, games and free food featured in pared-back, street party-style celebrations at our Oldham headquarters and Sheffield trade counter.
The celebrations were originally scheduled for 2021 - the actual year of our 30th - but were postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were then re-arranged for mid-September this year, but were again postponed out of respect for the passing of Queen Elizabeth ll.
Dan Mounsey, our Marketing and Business Development Director, says: "The party wasn't as lavish as we first planned, but we couldn't let this milestone anniversary pass by without marking it as a thank you to all the staff - many of whom have been with us for a large part of the journey, if not all of it."
HPP was first established in 1991, when a small number of staff from George Hill Timber next door to our Scottfield Road base set out with the sole aim of supplying components to the furniture industry.
Since then, our workforce has grown to approximately 200 people, and our range has expanded to more than 7,000 products, including our huge range of full and processed sheet material, vinyl wrapped furniture doors and furniture fittings.
Brothers Martin and Stephen Hill started the business and still work alongside MD Keith Wardrope. Turnover in recent years has topped £35m and we have more than 2,000 trade customers, including kitchen and bedroom retailers and installers.
One of those who made the move from George Hill Timber to help launch HPP is Board 1 and 2 Production Manager Terry Shaw. He says: "When I first started, we had just one building, which is where the offices and trade counter is now, and there were about 20 of us. We've gradually got bigger and bigger.
"As far as the company is concerned, it's always been onwards and upwards. We've constantly re-invested, even through difficult times. The management always look at the bigger picture and plan ahead - that is one of our big strengths. We have a good core of directors, and they always seem to be two or three years ahead. It's absolutely brilliant what they do."
Honourable mentions should also go to Richard Tague and Chris Pullman, who have also been with us for all 31 years.
Another long-serving employee is Transport Manager Trevor Ross, who says: "I've been here 27 years and when I started as an HGV driver, the company only had four trucks. Now we have 16 and five vans.
"It has always been a fantastic company to work for. I've never thought when I get up of a morning that I have to go to work. I have never thought that because I enjoy coming to work. We have great people and I have a great team behind me."
Forklift truck driver Ian Galvin who's been here for 15 years, says: "It's a great place to work. It's grown exponentially year on year. Every couple of years there's a new warehouse goes up; the company has expanded at quite a considerable rate.
"Retirement is the future for me, but the company is heading in the right direction and it's the people that drive it."
At the other end of the scale, Aspire doors despatcher Jack Robinson has only been with us for eight months. He says: "I absolutely love it here. Everyone has been so friendly and supportive. The company are really good with me, they are constantly training me on new tasks. Hopefully, eventually, I'll get a manager role."
Both events were organised by Marketing Co-ordinator Amy Fairbank and colleague Matt Barker, while the tremendously popular barbecue was provided by Mark Staines, who runs Grill Smoke Mobile BBQ when he's not busy designing in the marketing department.
And our party at Oldham was a significant day for vinyl doors sales office employee Nicola Jenkinson, who was celebrating her first anniversary at HPP: "I can't believe they've done all this for me," she joked!
