One of the North East’s most historic engineering firms welcomed Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash to its factory on Friday 16 Oct as it marked its 170th anniversary. Hartlepool-based
JJ Hardy & Sons held an open day at its factory on Brenda Road, with customers, suppliers, family of staff and the local MP receiving a tour of the site and an opportunity to meet the team.
Attendees were also given a unique opportunity to view the contents of a time capsule which was placed inside a factory wall when the facility was built in 1967. Included in the capsule were historic editions of the Hartlepool Mail and The Northern Echo, previously unseen photographs and a batch of historic coins and bank notes.
JJ Hardy & Sons was established in 1856 to produce components for Britain’s maritime and rail industries. Since then, the company has grown to become one of the region’s oldest engineering houses and a trusted supplier to businesses across Europe’s automotive, defence, maritime, rail and energy industries.
Andrew Pailor, managing director and the third generation of the Pailor family to run the business since it was purchased from the Hardy family in 1929, said the open day provided a unique opportunity to thank staff for all of their hard work and to celebrate the historic milestone. He said: “It has been fantastic to throw open our factory doors and welcome Jonathan Brash MP, customers, suppliers and the families of our team for today’s open day.”
He continued: “For the past 170 years, JJ Hardy & Sons has enjoyed a longevity and reputation few other companies can claim to have, but this would never have been possible had it not been for the efforts and hard work of our fantastic team. From humble beginnings in a Hartlepool back yard, their work over the years has seen us grow to become a CNC machine shop trusted by some of the biggest names in manufacturing and engineering and hopefully this will continue for years to come.”
Jonathan Brash has been MP for Hartlepool since 2024 and prior to that was chairman of Hartlepool Sixth Form College, a role which he said helped him to see the “incredible value” companies such as JJ Hardy & Sons play when it comes to providing skilled apprenticeship opportunities for young people. He also spoke of how the company achieving 170 years in business is “a remarkable achievement” and “a real testament to the company’s longstanding contribution to the North East’s industrial and engineering heritage.”
He said: “It’s been amazing to be here at JJ Hardy & Sons as they celebrate 170 years of making things right here in Hartlepool. We are a town of makers and this company is a brilliant example of that. Speaking to the team, it’s so obvious that this is a family company that looks after its workforce. They’ve been through tough times, but they’re growing and expanding and to be honest, it made me emotional talking to the people here today. They’re incredible and they’re what makes Hartlepool the amazing place that it is. A town on the up.”
The event was also attended by Robert Cockerill, the chief executive of
Northern Machine Tools, who was presented an award on behalf of 91-year-old company founder Bernard ‘Barney’ Ord OBE, who is a long-time friend of the Pailor family. To commemorate his achievements and to show the company’s thanks for his support over the years, he was awarded a personalised certificate by Mr Pailor to show the family’s gratitude.