THE SADDLERY INDUSTRY

King's Saddlery are proud of their Walsall location, as this is the centre of the UK's saddle making industry and is famous for its saddle making across the equestrian world.

Some of you ask, how this came to be and so to help we provide the following background:

HISTORY OF KINGS SADDLERY

Robert and David commenced their trade after finishing school with an apprenticeship at Butler Bros, once one of the largest saddle companies in Walsall. After completing their training, and working in the trade for a few years, they set up their own business in 1986.

They quickly became very active in the export market, and supplied a major consortium in Europe. Their turnover increased steadily over a five-year period and Kings Saddlery had to increase their workforce and move premises twice in order to fulfil their full potential.

The move to Monica House was made in 1995 where with 85 per cent of their turnover supplying overseas markets, Kings Saddlery became one of Walsall's largest Saddlery manufacturers.

The brothers continue to work on the two productions floors at Monica House in order to ensure that their standards of production are maintained from the start of the preparation to the final rigorous checks that occur before any saddle leaves the factory.

HISTORY OF WALSALL

Leather is a commodity for which Walsall has become famous. Even today Walsall has a thriving industry supplying both European and worldwide markets still manufacturing to traditional methods.

As iron, coal, charcoal, limestone and animal hides were plentiful in Walsall; this fed the Lorinery trade (producers of horse related items i.e. stirrups, bits, buckles, spurs, saddle trees). As these raw materials were easily available it was inevitable that the Saddlery trade should evolve in Walsall.

The leather industry reached its pinnacle in the early 1900s when around 10,000 people were employed within the trade. The trade provided much needed economic security during the years of the great depression.

Walsall soon became famous for the supply of goods to the Equestrian market, these mainly being harnesses, bridles, riding whips and saddles. The town became world leaders in saddle making and manufacturing techniques. Walsall saddles were even supplied worldwide to Royalty and members of nobility.

With the advent of the motorcar, horses were no longer required for transportation and so the decline in the leather trade began. With mounting pressure from foreign competitors with much lower operating costs, many Walsall manufacturers were forced to seek out the smaller speciality markets such as fancy leather goods. In the early 1970s over half the British production of fancy leather goods was concentrated in the borough. There are currently only about 1500 people employed in the leather trade in Walsall.

There has however been a much-needed revival in the Saddlery trade in recent years.
Walsall saddles are now renowned worldwide as highest quality both in materials and workmanship and Walsall is confident there will always be a market for a superior product as long as the high standards for which Walsall is notorious are maintained.