Somerset Businesses
| Westland Helicopters Westland is an AgustaWestland company, which is owned by Finmeccanica of Italy. AgustaWestland is one of the largest helicopter companies in the world, offering an unrivalled range of helicopters to meet the requirements of both civil and military customers. It has primary operations in the UK, Italy and the USA. Westland has been associated with the manufacture of aircraft since 1915 when the company was first formed at Yeovil in the UK.  Today Westland is a world leading aerospace company with unrivalled experience in military helicopter markets and has developed a broad range of capabilities as a prime contractor and a collaborative partner in major aerospace contracts covering aircraft production as well as logistics support and training for a growing number of international defence programmes. Its areas of helicopter expertise include rotor blade technology, avionics and mission systems integration, transmissions development and advanced training services for aircrew and groundcrew. |
Clarks Village In 1993, Clarks, the UK based shoe manufacturer, was looking for a way of putting to profitable use its redundant shoe factory buildings. Noting the success of the resident outlet shop, it decided to expand and add an entire 'village' of shops.  Paved walkways, landscaped gardens, children's play areas and cafés encouraged visitors to view it as a 'day out for all the family'.
The Street location in Somerset met all the requirements, being on the outskirts of a town or city, within easy reach of motorways and other nearby tourist attractions. It is now perceived as a 'destination shopping experience' in its own right.
It proved an instant success. Originally, it was estimated 850,000 people would visit Clarks Village in Street within the first year. In fact this figure was reached in less than four months. Approximately 3.5 million people visit the centre every year. |
| Pittards plc Producers of technically advanced leather for many of the world's leading brands of gloves, shoes, luxury leathergoods and sports equipment. In creating leather from the hide and skin by-products of the world meat and dairy industries, Pittards enhance the beauty and performance of a natural renewable material.  The Company has always taken a responsible attitude to the environment and has led the leather industry in adapting and changing manufacturing processes to take into account the health and safety of its employees and the impact of its operations on the environment. |
Wells Cathedral Stonemasons A Business with its roots in the Middle Ages is taking on work as far afield as Hong Kong and Singapore as it moves into the 21st century.  Since a management buyout five years ago, Wells Cathedral Stonemasons has grown to employ 16 craftspeople and four apprentices and now turns over in the region of £900,000 a year.Wells Cathedral in Somerset, where work began in about 1180, always had a team of stonemasons it could call on, but in 1984 the Dean and Chapter formed a dedicated company in order to take on major renovation work there. At first, Wells Cathedral Stonemasons was dedicated to the needs of the cathedral but by the late 1990s it had started to take on work at other churches and stately homes. |
| Perrys Cider For over 500 years cider apples have been grown and pressed at the Perry's family farm, nestled in the heart of Somerset, the true cider county. The original 16th century thatched barn is not only the centre piece of the farm, but is still used every autumn to store and press the season's apple harvest. 
Established in 1923 the Perry family continue the tradition of growing and pressings all their ciders on the original farm, partly to conserve the traditional craft of cider making, but also to take advantage of the mild climate, rich soils, and aspect of the area which lend themselves to the production of high quality apples and ciders alike.Today the cider farm remains very much a family orientated company, now run by Henry's wife and two sons John and Andrew, as well as Henry's grandson George, the fourth generation of commercial cider makers in the family. |
Powrmatic Powrmatic Limited is Europe's foremost manufacturer of commercial and industrial heating equipment and a leading specialist in natural, powered and smoke ventilation. Formed in 1960, the company operates from a purpose-built manufacturing and technical centre in Ilminster, Somerset supported by a UK-wide sales and service network.  Heating and ventilation systems from Powrmatic have been proven in some of the world's most prestigious and demanding applications. The company's commitment to product safety, quality and reliability is also demonstrated by equipment certification to all current European standards and an ISO 9001 registered quality system. |