03 Feb Jubilee Celebrations boost for Southend Manufacturer
A family business is celebrating after winning a major contract to supply flags and bunting for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Eclipse Branding Ltd was approached by the official Queen’s Platinum Jubilee organisers to produce branded flags and bunting to be used at events nationwide later this summer when Her Majesty the Queen celebrates 70 years of service.
Flags and bunting will be flown across the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, the Commonwealth and UK Overseas Territories flags with local governments also encouraged to decorate towns to mark the occasion.
After being approached by the Official Events organisers, Eclipse Branding has had to buy more machinery and hire more staff as demand was higher much than expected.
James Masters, Operations Manager for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Events said: “We asked Eclipse to produce Flags & Bunting with a the official platinum jubilee logo to adorn events nationwide. We received our first batch which are now in situ and have had the public asking where it can be purchased from. so now both flags and bunting have become a bit of a souvenir item.”
Eclipse, which is also making giant flags and bunting had provided flags for previous events.
Trevor Morgan, Eclipse works manager, said the Jubilee contract was the biggest order the business had ever received for flags and bunting. The company, which normally makes flags for the special events industry, is hoping it will lead to further contracts from organisers of public events.
He said, “After the Covid restrictions and shutdowns of public events our business took a massive hit with no orders but now this has really helped us to move forward. New members of staff on temporary contracts have been taken on to help manufacture and fulfil the orders and we are delighted to have been chosen to play a role in such an important national occasion.
Business hadn’t been fantastic and we’d had to downsize over the last two years. It brings it home how important these big events are to a small company – we’ve increased our workforce by 30% in the last six to nine months so hopefully this contract will lead to other things and permanent work for those people.”
At present the company has completed half of the orders with the other half due to be finished in the coming month. The flags and bunting will then be sent all over the UK with some going further afield to places including Canada, Ireland and St Helena in the South Atlantic.
Managing Director Jourdain Hatt said he was looking forward to seeing footage of the firm’s flags and banners displayed across the country: “It’s amazing to be involved in the Platinum Jubilee. Our team has worked very hard and done a fantastic job so far.”
