Every so often in business you come across somebody who exudes real charisma.
That’s how I found Huw Lewis MBE, who is the founder and chief executive of Black Mountain Clothing in the Beaver Centre on the Ashburton Industrial Estate at Ross-on-Wye.
Huw was awarded the MBE in 2001 for Services to Young People. He has over 35 years experience as an executive coach and leader across the military, business, education, clothing, catering physical fitness and personal development sectors.
He set up Black Mountain Clothing Limited at Ross in 2015. It’s a technical clothing company with a focus on local production, quality craftsmanship and sustainability.
The business now has a turnover of £1 million with 15 staff. I was impressed with their enthusiasm and skills.
Huw has made a major investment—something like £700 000-into special embroidery machinery. I think this is the key to Black Mountain’s USP—intricate embroidery on their workwear, sports and education products.
Just one of these embroidered badges—for a school uniform or a sports club-could involve around 12 000 stitches and it was a pleasure see the staff making that work.
The specialised machinery investment means that the team can now make up to 2 000 pieces a day.
What impressed me was they are increasingly working with local schools like John Kyrle High and a growing number of primary schools.
“It’s exciting when young people come in with their parents and try on their school uniform for the first time”, says Huw.
Huw is a military veteran having been a captain in the Royal Welsh and served in Northern Ireland, Berlin, Bosnia, Uzbekistan and Malawi.
For more information on Black Mountain products, call 01989-566364 or visit black-mountain.co.uk.