Kidderminster - Economy

Economy

The modern carpet industry was founded in the area in 1785 by Brintons, and the carpet industry became extremely important to the local economy, so much so that the local newspaper is still named The Shuttle after the shuttles used on the carpet looms. Although much declined in recent years, the industry is still a significant employer in the area, with Brintons Carpets still employing several hundred people and is one of the biggest employers in the town. Kidderminster is also the home of Victoria Carpets plc. The "Vic" has factories in Munster, Ireland and in Dandenong, Australia and is a worldwide exporter of bespoke carpets for hotels and large commercial venues. One notable user of Victoria carpet is the Eiffel Tower.

The Wyre was the town's first local commercial radio station and began broadcasting on 12 September 2005 from studios in Kidderminster. Other radio stations providing local coverage are Free Radio, Sunshine Radio, and BBC Hereford & Worcester. The Wyre ceased broadcasting in 2012 and Signal 107 launched on 26 March 2012.

With the opening of the commercial retail area of "Weaver's Wharf" in March 2004, the town centre area had been substantially redeveloped. Shops include TK Maxx, Next,Th Baker Marks and Spencer, SportsDirect.com, Brantano, DW Sports Fitness & Clarks. Eateries Frankie & Benny's, McDonald's and Pizza Hut. 'Slingfield Mill', a Grade II listed building, houses a Debenhams store. There is The Co-operative Food and a doctor's surgery on Franche Road (A442) in Franche, a Morrisons on Green Street in the centre of the town, a Sainsburys and The Range on Carpet Trades Way near the river, and Tesco, Asda and Aldi are in the town centre on either side of New Road. Other popular stores in kidderminster include Bridge55 (Mens Clothing Store) and Wild heart which are located on Oxford Street.

Solid-fuel rocket motors are manufactured in Summerfield on the outskirts of Kidderminster on the ROXEL site where the motors for the Rapier missile, Seawolf missile, Starstreak and ASRAAM missile systems were manufactured. The site has had several owners including IMI, Royal Ordnance and British Aerospace, and is now part of the Roxel Group, headquartered in Paris and with a sister site outside Bordeaux.

The SEALINE yacht company manufactures boats for the luxury market and is Kidderminster's second largest single employer. On the edge of the town used to be the two storage silos sited on the former British Sugar Corporation site on the Stourport Road, that could be seen from the Malvern Hills, nearly thirty miles away. These however, were demolished in mid-2012.