5:00pm Tuesday 29th December 2009
Airebank Mills was built in 1780 and was used for cotton production until the 1930s. During its early days, it was plagued by fires and, in November 1912, it saw “one of the most fierce and disastrous conflagrations ever recorded in the history of Craven”.
The fire, which started when a rope race suddenly ignited, gutted the building and put 300 people out of work.
At the time it was home to spinners and doublers Messrs Whittle, Brindle and Co and there were doubts whether the village could withstand such a catastrophe.
It did and, in 1934, the mill found a new lease of life when it was bought by American-based Johnson & Johnson to make bandages and surgical dressings. It was the company’s first full-scale manufacturing plant in the UK.
It subsequently pioneered and produced many items for which the company became known – ranging from baby products to industrial tape – and created the firm’s first ethical pharmaceutical goods.
In 1946, the mill welcomed a royal visitor. HRH Mary, Princess Royal toured the factory, inspecting the departments and various processes. “She was deeply interested in all she saw,” said a report from the time.
Production at Gargrave continued to expand with cotton and gauze processing, turning out such things as cotton wool rolls, bandages, dressings and swabs.
Such was its success that in 1973 the firm announced a major expansion programme costing £1.85 million. The scheme included new microbiological laboratories, new production areas and an 83,000 square foot warehouse.
“This will be the biggest building project ever undertaken by the company in the UK,” said the then managing director Peter McKenna.
Further expansion took place in 1992, with the opening of a new steriliser unit and in 2007 with the opening of a new technology centre.
A new chapter in the firm’s history was written in 2008 when Johnson & Johnson’s professional wound care business – including Airebank Mills – was the subject of a management buyout. New owners Systagenix agreed to keep the company’s operations, research and development headquarters in Gargrave.
Today the local facility manufactures 95 per cent of the 30 million-plus wound dressings Systagenix produces each month to treat patients in hospitals, nursing homes and in their own homes in more than 100 countries.
Mark Kirkup, vice president of operations, said: “We are dedicated to growing and developing the Gargrave site to extend our position as a leading employer and provide clinicians with state of the art wound care solutions that really make a difference to the lives of the patients.”
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