Hillbrush

Hillbrush, also known as The Hill Brush Company, is a British manufacturing and hygiene business based in Mere, Wiltshire. Founded in 1922 by brothers Fred Coward and Bill Coward, the company began as a family brush-making enterprise producing wooden-backed brushes. It later expanded its manufacturing capabilities and product range, becoming associated with brushes and cleaning equipment for both domestic and professional users. A significant part of Hillbrush’s development involved adapting brush construction for industrial applications. The business introduced plastic-backed brushes for sectors such as food and beverage manufacturing, where hygiene, durability, and the ability to control contamination are important operating requirements. In 1926, it established a fibre-dressing department, an early specialist capability connected with the preparation and finishing of brush fibres. This helped broaden the company’s technical base beyond simple brush assembly. Over time, Hillbrush developed from a traditional brush maker into a wider cleaning-product and hygiene supplier. Its range includes industrial and household brushes as well as related tools such as squeegees, shovels, buckets, and paddles. The company’s offer serves cleaning, food production, manufacturing, and other commercial environments in which purpose-designed tools are required. Custom and professional brush development is an important part of its positioning, alongside standard products. The business has retained a family-company identity across several generations. The founders’ sons subsequently joined the operation, supporting its expansion and continuity. Hillbrush’s history also includes recognition connected with the British royal household: Queen Elizabeth II visited the company’s property in 1952, and Hillbrush received a Royal Warrant in 1981. In the twenty-first century, Hillbrush extended its international presence. In 2001 it acquired Champion Brush Inc., a brush business based in Baltimore, Maryland, giving the company a direct connection to the United States market. In 2016, Hillbrush moved to a new facility at Norwood Park on the outskirts of Mere and introduced a refreshed logo. The new site also supported the company’s public heritage activities. Visit Hillbrush, a museum and visitor attraction devoted to brush making and the company’s history, opened in 2017. Hillbrush marked its centenary in 2022. Its current identity combines long-established brush-making expertise with the manufacture of cleaning and hygiene equipment for professional and household use. The company remains associated with quality-focused, durable, and application-specific products, while its historical operations, museum, and family-business heritage form a visible part of its brand identity.

Hillbrush was established in 1922 in Mere, Wiltshire, by brothers Fred Coward and Bill Coward. The original business produced wooden-backed brushes and operated as a family enterprise. As the company developed, the founders’ sons joined the business, helping maintain family ownership and expand its manufacturing activities. The company’s early technical development included the creation of a fibre-dressing department in 1926. This gave Hillbrush a specialist function for preparing brush fibres and reflected the importance of material treatment and construction in brush performance. In later years, the business expanded from wooden-backed products into plastic-backed brushes. These products were particularly relevant to food and beverage industries, where cleaning tools must meet demanding requirements for durability and hygiene. Hillbrush’s reputation and institutional history include a visit by Queen Elizabeth II to the company’s property in 1952. In 1981, the company was granted a Royal Warrant. These events became part of the brand’s long-term British heritage, alongside its continuing identity as a family brush manufacturer. The company entered a further phase of expansion in 2001 when it acquired Champion Brush Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland. The transaction gave Hillbrush an operating connection in the United States and supported the company’s international reach. Its product scope also broadened beyond brushes to include cleaning and hygiene equipment such as squeegees, shovels, buckets, and paddles. In 2016, Hillbrush moved from its earlier site to a new facility at Norwood Park on the outskirts of Mere. The relocation was accompanied by a logo redesign, representing a modernisation of the brand while retaining its established name. The company subsequently opened Visit Hillbrush in 2017. The museum and visitor attraction presents brush-making history and documents the development of the family business, connecting the manufacturing operation with public heritage and education. Hillbrush reached its hundredth anniversary in 2022. Across its history, the business evolved from a local producer of wooden-backed brushes into a broader manufacturer serving household, industrial, food, beverage, and professional cleaning applications. Its distinguishing characteristics are its long operating history, family-business continuity, specialist brush expertise, and expansion into related hygiene products.

• 2022

  Centenary celebration

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  Hillbrush celebrates its 100th anniversary.

• 2017

  Visit Hillbrush opens

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  The company opens a museum and visitor attraction focused on brush making and Hillbrush’s history.

• 2016

  Relocation and brand refresh

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  Hillbrush moves to a new facility at Norwood Park near Mere and updates its logo.

• 2001

  Champion Brush Inc. is acquired

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  Hillbrush purchases Champion Brush Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland, extending its international business presence.

• 1981

  Hillbrush receives a Royal Warrant

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  The company is granted a Royal Warrant.

• 1952

  Queen Elizabeth II visits Hillbrush

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  Queen Elizabeth II visits the company’s property, an event later associated with Hillbrush’s British heritage.

• 1926

  Fibre-dressing department is established

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  Hillbrush creates a specialist fibre-dressing department, adding a dedicated capability to its brush-making operations.

• 1922

  Hillbrush is founded in Mere

  [1]Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org

  Fred Coward and Bill Coward establish the family brush-making business in Mere, Wiltshire, producing wooden-backed brushes.

A specialist British brush and hygiene manufacturer combining long-standing family-business heritage with professional, industrial, food-sector, and household cleaning applications.

• Industrial cleaning equipment

  Industrial brushes

  Hillbrush manufactures brushes for industrial and commercial cleaning applications. The range reflects the company’s historical focus on brush development and includes tools intended for demanding working environments where durability and effective cleaning are important.

• Food-sector hygiene equipment

  Food and beverage hygiene brushes

  Plastic-backed brushes developed for food and beverage industries form an important part of Hillbrush’s professional offer. These products are associated with hygiene-focused cleaning operations in production and processing environments.

• Household cleaning tools

  Household brushes

  Hillbrush produces brushes for household cleaning use, extending its traditional brush-making expertise into everyday domestic applications. The category sits alongside its professional and industrial products.

• Cleaning and hygiene equipment

  Squeegees, shovels, buckets, and paddles

  In addition to brushes, Hillbrush supplies related cleaning and hygiene tools, including squeegees, shovels, buckets, and paddles. These products broaden the company’s role from brush specialist to supplier of coordinated cleaning equipment.

• Specialist brush manufacturing

  Custom brush products

  Hillbrush’s manufacturing capabilities support application-specific and custom brush requirements. Such work builds on its long experience in brush construction, fibre preparation, and the adaptation of products for professional sectors.

• 2016

  Relocation to Norwood Park and logo redesignStrategy

  Background

  Hillbrush undertook a site move and accompanying brand update during its continued development as a broader cleaning and hygiene manufacturer.

  Action taken

  The company moved to a new facility at Norwood Park near Mere and introduced a refreshed logo.

  Aftermath

  The relocation established the company at its newer Mere-area site, while the logo update modernised its visual identity.

  Source

• 2001

  Acquisition of Champion Brush Inc.M&A

  Background

  Hillbrush sought to extend its business beyond the United Kingdom and acquired a brush company located in Baltimore, Maryland.

  Action taken

  The company purchased Champion Brush Inc.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition gave Hillbrush a United States business connection and contributed to its international market reach.

  Source

1. 1Hillbrushen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Hillbrush official websitehillbrush.com