Millbrook Industries was formed in 1946 as a re-upholstery company. It grew steadily, with a number of major contracts throughout the 1950s and 1960s significantly boosting the number of employees. These included a contract from the Union Castle Shipping Company, awarded in 1952, to renovate all the furniture and to lay carpets as and when required throughout the fleet, and a contract from Southern Television, awarded in 1955, to manufacture all of their television scenery. The Ministry of Defence awarded Millbrook its first contract for the renovation of wood, metal and upholstered furniture in 1962 and the renovation of mattresses in 1966. Within 2 years of this latter contract, Millbrook began to manufacture new beds.

By 1970 Millbrook had developed into an upholstery and bed manufacturer with a large joinery and cabinet-making shop to produce furniture and television scenery, together with a large recycling department for the renovation of MoD furniture. At this point in its history the company employed 80 people. In 1971 Millbrook won the contract for the refurbishing of all the furniture in the Palace of Westminster, including the House of Commons and House of Lords, and have successfully retained this contract ever since. Millbrook Beds Limited continued to develop into one of the UK’s major quality bed manufacturers.

Key moments for Millbrook during the 1980s and the 1990s included purchasing Marriott Office Furniture in 1984, winning their first contract in Southampton Docks for the industrial painting of ships in 1992, also in 1992 we manufactured and installed the specialist windows and front doors of Numbers 10, 11 and 12 Downing Street, then in 1995 Millbrook painted the complete hull of the QE2 (in 24 hours!), this last contract led to Millbrook’s first industrial painting contract with the American army in Germany, painting 2,000 track vehicles.

Millbrook Healthcare was formed in 1998, when Millbrook was awarded its first wheelchair service contract for the NHS, and Millbrook’s first Community Equipment Service (CES) contract was awarded by Plymouth Health Authority in 2000. Millbrook Healthcare is currently the service provider for Community Equipment Services, for a total population of approximately 3.2 million. Millbrook is also the current service provider for wheelchair services for 50,000 users. Millbrook Healthcare has grown since it was formed employing 210 staff and operating from nine UK depots.

In 2002 Millbrook had the honour of installing all the carpets, furnishings and panelling, including the catafalque, in the Great Hall for the laying in state of Queen Elizabeth II the Queen Mother. With only eight hours to mobilise, forty men were involved working non-stop for 48 hours. In 2006 Millbrook undertook £2.8 million of panelling in the new Wembley Stadium, together with other prestigious furnishing contracts throughout the UK. Millbrook has just been re-awarded the contracts for all MoD metal, wood and upholstered furniture throughout the UK.

In February 2009 OEP Office Furniture became a member of the Millbrook Industries Ltd Group, who are manufactures of office and residential furniture, and their customers include Government departments, major institutions and public and private companies. In April 2009 Project Office Furniture Ltd who were formed in 1928 also became a member of the Millbrook Industries Ltd Group.

Millbrook remains family owned, and has achieved great progress since its formation. The continued growth is helped by the diverse nature of the company. Millbrook Industries Ltd has four principal operating areas: Beds, Furniture/Furnishings, Healthcare and the specialised paint spraying of vehicles for military clients. As a Group, Millbrook currently employs around 450 people