Long-standing saddlery company E Jeffries bought by Vale Brothers

Vale Brothers has agreed after months of negotiation to buy the saddlery company E Jeffries from Goold Holdings.

The acquisition completed on 26 January includes the Jeffries’ associated brands: Falcon, Eldonian, Wembley, Wembley Pro and Brady Bags.

Peter Wilkes, managing director of Vale Brothers said he was “delighted” that terms have been agreed and “we are looking forward to seeing the E. Jeffries brands continue to develop and prosper alongside our existing British brands from the Vale Brothers group.”

He said Vale Brothers and E. Jeffries share a number of similar product lines and “the union will enable us to further strengthen our position within the saddlery and leisure industry.”

Dominic Goold said: “Jeffries deserves to have an owner who is 100% committed to it and to the trade; with my business interests I don’t have the time to do this properly.”

E. Jeffries was originally founded in 1820 and is one of the oldest names in saddlery. In 1987 the company acquired the brands Falcon and Eldonian.

Vale Brothers dates can trace its history back to 1786. For over 225 years the company has produced horse grooming brushes and accessories under the brand names of Equerry (holder of a Royal Warrant from HM The Queen) and Stablemates.

In 2001 the company acquired the whip company Edward Goddard and this was followed by the acquisition of rug manufacturing company Thermatex and British saddle manufacturers Harry Dabbs.

In 2012 Vale Brothers Ltd launched its new range of anti –bacterial horse grooming and stable products under the brand name KBF99.

Products containing the KBF99 additive are chemical free and kill, fungi, algae, mycotoxins and some parasites and viruses.

The majority of Vale Brothers products are manufactured at three UK factories in the Midlands (Walsall) and on the West Coast of Wales in Cardigan.

But following the latest acquisition, the E Jefferies factory in Walsall is being closed and all the staff are being transferred into new premises nearby within Walsall.

Vale Brothers is also moving the staff of Harry Dabbs Saddle Makers into the new premises so that all its staff will be under one roof.