My name is Rob Henshaw and I am 5 months into my new job at ACE Supplies as Sales Manager. I come from the rehab and therapy market and have some knowledge of applying this kind of hardware to medical devices in particular.
Well to tell you the truth, I am somewhere between; my ‘interest being peaked’ when I started, and steadily moving towards ‘moderately enthusiastic’.
“A buckle or a cordlock is but a small component of something much bigger, perhaps a forgotten hero? It plays it’s part but never really celebrated?”
I have always been interested in finding practical solutions, and this new job fits that desire very well. During my short time at ACE, I definitely feel a sense of legacy here – of care and attention to detail. This is a long established business, which was started by the Clark family over 40 years ago, and their ethos is still present and tangible.
The business was sold to English Braids Group a few years ago. A respected leader in marine rope manufacture. The combined energy of English Braids and that of the small group of people at ACE Supplies, is such a great mix.
The result is a business with a strong pedigree and a progressive outlook. The building is full of history, evidenced by the innumerable number of prototype and sample buckles accrued over decades – enough to start a small museum, perhaps to rival the ‘national pencil museum?.
Joking aside, the history underpins ACE’s credibility and authority in the industry, and the adventure continues as we move forward into 2025 with new products and new processes to make life easier for our customers, both current and new!
I ask myself, why the longevity? Forty years trading in anything is an achievement these days. I think the answer lies with the excellent staff for sure, but also ACE’s choice from the get go – to focus on performance and quality – derived from a combination of sound UK based manufacture and selecting solid international partners.
‘Access’ because we are a wholesaler and want to give you the best components available, saving you from the risk of holding large quantities of stock, especially if you are proving a new product in the market.
‘Access’ to a recognised knowledge base here at ACE Supplies. Accessibility to testing and technical data to give you assurance that your choice is more than fit for purpose. ‘Access’ to scale-ability, when that new product starts to deliver and you need to grow. We are there to help you expand.
I said ‘access to the ‘best’ – so what do I mean by the best? The ‘best’ comes from designers, engineers and producers who don’t take shortcuts, who thoroughly test their products, and who have taken a stance for the environment Lets face it, the environment has to be a key objective and focus for manufacturing in plastic. So we make it well, with focus on longevity and by producing ethically. The market is awash with low quality, cheap hardware, destined for landfill, so we make our stand to be different.
ACE and our manufacturing partners resist compromise to give you the assurance that you are incorporating the ‘best’ and most suitable product available into your own products. Our quality is your quality, and our components should add and not take away.
I started writing this blog, not knowing if I could avoid waffle, the need for window dressing or giving it the hard sell. Something here at ACE must be rubbing off on me, and I guess I am sensing an excitement over buckles building, even as i write.
I look forward to meeting you in the new year, if possible, but If it isn’t, then I wish you every success in the new year. It isn’t easy and experience tells me that nothing worthwhile ever is.
