The Hill Brush Company

What The Hill Brush Company does

The Hill Brush Company is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer of hygienic brushes and cleaning tools, founded in 1922 and headquartered in Mere, Wiltshire, where it operates a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility constructed in 2017. The company sells 2,000+ products organised into five core ranges — Hygiene, Janitorial/Commercial, Traditional, Natural (FSC-certified beechwood consumer/personal care), and Equestrian — along with a Trade Moulding/Injection Moulding custom manufacturing service. Underlying technology centres on materials science rather than software: FDA- and EU-approved food-safe polymers, proprietary Resin Set DRS brushware for filament retention, antimicrobial additives, metal-detectable (MDX) construction for food-safety foreign-object detection, stainless-steel staples, and autoclavable products rated up to 135°C, with colour-coded variants (up to 12 colours) for HACCP/5S area segregation.

The company's commercial model is a hybrid of direct sales and a tiered global distribution partner network (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) covering 90+ countries, with pricing set via quote and an annual-spend discount structure available in GBP, EUR, and USD. Primary end-uses are food manufacturing, professional janitorial/commercial cleaning, agriculture, construction, healthcare, and equestrian grooming; notable named users span food and beverage (Brothers Drinks, Astral, Kibun), cleaning chemicals (AFCO/ZEP, Power Chemical), brush distributors (Bell Brush, Bromley Brush, New Zealand Brush), and broader distribution partners. The company is a Royal Warrant holder (since 1981) and holds ISO 9001, FDA, SQF, CHSA, FEIBP/PHB, FSC, Sedex, Campden BRI, and Made in Britain credentials, which materially shape buyer qualification in regulated segments. Leadership remains within the founding Coward family, with Andy Coward and Charles Coward listed as Managing Directors, and no external institutional ownership, M&A activity, or funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

The Hill Brush Company

Legal name

The Hill Brush Company Ltd

Website

https://hillbrush.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Hill Brush Company is a 100-year-old, privately held UK manufacturer of 2,000+ sanitary brushes and cleaning tools, sold globally through a 90+ country partner network to food manufacturers, janitorial firms, and equestrian and consumer-care markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Brushes and Cleaning Equipment

NAICS

Broom, Brush, and Mop Manufacturing (339994)

SIC

Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840)

akta.pro primary industry

Brooms, Brushes & Dustpans (CRAJAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mops, Buckets & Floor Cleaning Systems (CRAJAIAB), Kitchen & Household Sponges, Scrubbers & Scouring Pads (CRAJAGAJ), Eco-Friendly Cleaning Tools & Accessories (Reusable/Compostable) (CRAJAOAJ)

Keywords

• Industrial brushes
• Hygiene cleaning tools
• Food safety equipment
• Janitorial supplies
• Brushware manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Mere

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brush and Cleaning Tool Sales: Hillbrush generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of brushes, brooms, squeegees, scrapers, buckets, and ancillary cleaning products. The company offers over 2,000 products across multiple ranges including Hygiene, Janitorial, Traditional, Natural, and Equestrian. Products are sold directly and through a global distribution network.
2. Custom Manufacturing (Trade Moulding): Hillbrush's Trade Moulding division produces made-to-order brushes and injection moulded products to meet specific customer requirements. The company can also apply customer branding/logo to products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Hill Brush Company manufactures over 2,000 British-made brushes and cleaning tools from its facility in Mere, Wiltshire, UK. The company produces hygienic cleaning equipment (resin-set, antimicrobial, and metal-detectable brushes, brooms, squeegees, scrapers, buckets) for food manufacturing and catering, alongside janitorial, traditional, equestrian, and natural (sustainable personal care) ranges. The company also operates a Trade Moulding division offering custom injection-moulded brushware and OEM branding services.

Product overview

The Hill Brush Company manufactures over 2,000 British-made brush and cleaning products from its facility in Mere, Wiltshire, organised into five main product ranges: (1) the Hygiene Range — advanced hygienic cleaning tools with resin-set, antimicrobial, and metal-detectable options (brooms, buckets, bins, shovels, squeegees, scrapers, shadow boards) for food processing and catering; (2) the Janitorial/Commercial Range — brushes and ancillary cleaning equipment for industrial and commercial cleaning, including the Tornado (outdoor sweeping) and ECO sub-brands; (3) the Traditional Range — sustainably sourced brushware for agriculture and construction, spanning Essentials, Garden Sets, FSC Products, Trade, Finest, Household Equipment, and Specialist sub-ranges; (4) Natural by Hillbrush — sustainable personal and household care products made from FSC-certified Beechwood (bath, kitchen, pet care, shoe care, travel and tech); and (5) the Equestrian Range — grooming brushes and horse care tools. The company also offers a Trade Moulding division for made-to-order custom brushes and injection-moulded products, including logo branding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hillbrush: Primary brand for hygiene, janitorial, and commercial cleaning products.
• Hillbrush Natural
• Hillbrush ECO
• Hillbrush Professional
• Hillbrush Premier
• Tornado Range

Products and services

• Hygiene Range Comprehensive range of advanced hygienic cleaning tools for food processing, manufacturing, and catering environments. Includes resin-set, antimicrobial, and metal-detectable brushes, brooms, squeegees, scrapers, buckets, bins, shovels, and PPE. Manufactured from FDA and EU food-approved materials and available in up to 12 colours for HACCP/5S area segregation. Autoclavable up to 135°C.
• Janitorial / Commercial Range Brushes and ancillary cleaning equipment for janitorial, council, and commercial cleaning applications. Includes brooms, hand brushes, cloths, dusters, squeegees, buckets, bins, mops, mop frames, telescopic handles, litter-picking equipment, floor care products, window cleaning range, and the Tornado outdoor sweeping and ECO sub-brands.
• Traditional Range Traditional brushware for agriculture and construction sectors, made from sustainably sourced materials. Includes Essentials, Garden Sets, FSC Products, Trade, Finest, Household Equipment, and Specialist sub-ranges. Comprises brooms, hand brushes, FSC-certified wood products, paint brushes, stripping knives, shovels, paddles, buckets, bins, handles, sockets, and stays.
• Natural by Hillbrush Sustainable personal and household care brushes crafted from FSC-certified Beechwood. Includes bath brushes, bottle brushes, combs, dish brushes, hair brushes (including baby brushes), nail brushes, scrub brushes, shoe brushes, vegetable brushes, travel sweepers, and pet care items. Covers Bathroom, Kitchen, Pet Care, Personal Care, Shoe Care, Travel and Tech, and Display Solutions sub-ranges.
• Equestrian Range Grooming brushes and horse care tools for equestrian use, including beastie brushes, combs, dandy brushes, face brushes, groomers, hoof care tools, sweat scrapers, water brushes, and Brush Therapy (Joz) products.
• Injection Moulding / Trade Moulding Division Made-to-order brushware and injection-moulded products manufactured to specific customer requirements. Customers can apply their own company branding/logo to finished products. Serves businesses seeking custom or private-label cleaning tool manufacturing.
• Shadow Boards Custom-designed storage boards for cleaning equipment, providing accessible and visible storage that complies with 5S and HACCP frameworks. Used in food manufacturing and hygiene-sensitive facilities for tool organisation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products autoclavable up to 135C for sterilization
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Distribution PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHillbrush maintains a global network of distribution partners in over 90 countries. The company offers a tiered partner programme (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) with benefits including marketing assets, product training, trade show support, co-branded materials, and dedicated account management at higher tiers.
• Brothers DrinksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood and beverage company using Hillbrush hygiene cleaning tools for food safety compliance.
• AFCO/ZEPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCleaning and hygiene product distributor representing Hillbrush products in the supply chain.
• AstralminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood service equipment company partnering for cleaning solutions.
• Cleaning WorldminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJanitorial supplies distributor carrying Hillbrush products.
• Bell BrushminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrush industry partner and distributor.
• Bromley BrushminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrush industry partner in the distribution network.
• New Zealand BrushminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational brush industry partner representing Hillbrush in New Zealand.
• WecoviminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCleaning equipment partner in the distribution network.
• EIDSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational distribution partner for Hillbrush products.
• EximminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImport/export trading partner for international distribution.
• Food ServiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFood service industry distributor.
• AMSAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManufacturing partner in the distribution network.
• KibunminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorConsumer products distribution partner.
• Power ChemicalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManufacturing partner for chemical-related products distribution.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Carolina Brush Company: Carolina Brush Company is a US industrial brush manufacturer serving food processing, manufacturing and material handling. It is a direct peer to Hillbrush's industrial and hygiene brush categories with comparable end-customers.
• Remco Products: Remco Products (a Vikan sister company) supplies colour-coded food-processing tools, shovels, scoops and brushes for hygiene-sensitive environments. It competes head-to-head with Hillbrush in North American food manufacturing accounts.
• Magnolia Brush: Magnolia Brush is a US manufacturer of industrial, food-processing and janitorial brushes with a strong position in brooms and sweepers. It is comparable to Hillbrush in industrial brush manufacturing and food-safety product overlap.
• Greenwood Brush: Greenwood Brush is a UK-based manufacturer of industrial and household brushes. It is a domestic peer to Hillbrush with overlapping traditional and industrial product lines sold through UK distribution.
• Robert Scott & Sons: Robert Scott & Sons is a UK manufacturer of cleaning equipment including mops, cloths and sweeping tools. It competes with Hillbrush's Janitorial range and serves UK facilities management and contract cleaning customers.
• Vikan: Vikan is a Denmark-based manufacturer of colour-coded hygienic cleaning tools, brushes, squeegees and shadow boards for the food and beverage industry. It is Hillbrush's closest direct competitor, sharing the same food-safety, HACCP and metal-detectable value proposition.

Emerging players

• Brush Research Manufacturing: Brush Research Manufacturing is a US specialist in flexible hone brushes and industrial power-driven brushes. It overlaps with Hillbrush in industrial brush technology but focuses on a narrower set of metalworking and engine applications.

Broad incumbents

• Spartan Chemical: Spartan Chemical is a US manufacturer of janitorial and industrial cleaning chemicals plus associated tools and equipment. It is a broad incumbent whose cleaning-equipment line competes with Hillbrush's Janitorial range in commercial accounts.
• Carlisle FoodService Products: Carlisle FoodService Products is a large US-based manufacturer of foodservice equipment and janitorial supplies including brushes, buckets and cleaning tools. It overlaps with Hillbrush in foodservice/janitorial but operates at much greater scale across a broader portfolio.
• Freudenberg Household Products: Freudenberg Household Products (including Vileda) is a major global manufacturer of cleaning tools, mops and brushes for consumer and professional markets. It competes with Hillbrush across commercial and household cleaning segments as part of a much wider portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/hillbrush/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Hill Brush Company