When Was Henry Hoover Invented?: The Fascinating History of Britain’s Favourite Hoover
Today vacuum cleaners are critical pieces of the fabric of most homes. Yet it’s not always been this way – there was a time when they were seen as an expensive inconvenience. That all began to change when little but mighty Henry hoover came into the picture.
Created in 1981, Henry hoover has been impressing folks since he was born both in the domestic space and professional cleaning.
In this post, we’re going to take a look into Henry’s history and find out all about the family that have helped to raise such a beloved national treasure.
When Was Henry Hoover Invented?: A History
Henry hoover was invented in 1981. Weighing in at a sprightly 6.6kg it was clear from the very start that Henry would be destined for great things.
At the time, the most popular vacuum cleaners were uprights with small bags that had to be constantly changed. Hence vacuum cleaners developing an unwanted reputation of being an expensive gimmick.
Then along comes our dear Henry:
- Robust build
- Big belly to holds of dust
- Powerful suction
- Loveable smile
Since birth, Henry has delighted millions of customers around the world and today is said to be Britain’s most popular vacuum cleaner.
It’s common to hear of Henry units that have been operating for more than a decade whether its cleaning homes, offices, schools or hospitals at home and abroad.
Over time, Henry has evolved to become more efficient and environmentally friendly. Today his Autosave model consumes around 50% less electricity than prior versions. Though green by nature his colour has remained the same – iconic red and black.
He does, however, come in a variety of other colours in alternative models including yellow, blue, pink and green.
The Origins of Numatic International
Henry comes from the well-renowned Numatic International family, based in Crewkerne, Somerset having been established in 1969 by founder Chris Duncan.
Numatic’s first commercial vacuum cleaner was designed for cleaning coal, oil and has fired boilers.
The original company employed a modest six people and the most sophisticated item of machinery they had to put together vacuum cleaners was a drill.
Their first iteration of vacuum cleaners were made from oil drums and everyday components such as suitcase handles and washing-up bowls.
As demand outgrew their capacity Numatic moved to a facility in Yeovill by the river which regularly flooded their factory with 5 to 10cm of water. Nonetheless production continued and this is where they started to create wet pick-up machines.
Numatic pride themselves on being able to still offer replacement parts for all of their vacuum cleaners dating all the way back to the very first, the NV-2. The majority of their first two models (NV-2 and NV-250) are still in operation today, a truly impressive feat.
By 1974 Numatic needed a larger facility and built their feat real factory in Beaminster, Dorset, UK. It was from this factory that would be the home of the legend that is Henry, with demand growing year by year from its inception in 1981.
To remain competitive internationally, Numatic acquired facilities back in Chard, Somerset, UK where it remains to this day.
Does Henry Have Any Brothers and Sisters?
The Numatic household continues to produce new generations of Henry to this day. Over the years they have added plenty of brothers and sisters to dear Henry including:
- James
- George
- Hetty
- Charles
- Harry
How Did Henry Hoover Get a Smile On His Face?
One thing people instantly notice about Henry is that he always has a smile on his face. So how did this come to be?
It’s said that one evening during a trade show a bored Chris Duncan and a salesman dressed up one of their commercial vacuum cleaners with a ribbon, a union flag badge as well as a hat. They also quite critically drew a smile under the hose connector with some chalk. The next day it was a hit with trade visitors with many finding it quite amusing.
Mr Duncan then asked his design team to come up with a more polished version of the face and they gave it the nickname of “Henry”.
At another trade show where Henry was now on display, a children’s hospital wanted it to encourage recovering kids help with the cleaning. Following that in 1981, “Henry” became the first of many, but the most iconic, of Numatic models to have its name on its bowler like cap.
The rest, as they say, is history and it’s still being made today.
Where Is Henry Hoover Made?
Henry hoover was born in the town of Beaminster, Dorset, UK.
He began life there in 1981 but today he is produced out of Numatic’s facility in Chard, Somerset, UK.
Though produced in Britain, around 40% of Henry units are sold to overseas markets.
The Henry range of hoovers is a rare thing in today’s world of global supply chains as despite its international appeal, it has remained British-made whilst still maintaining a relatively inexpensive price.
Henry is the only mass-produced consumer vacuum cleaner still made in Britain, an incredible feat for Numatic given the competition they have faced from global supply chains.
Where Is The Henry Hoover Factory?
Today the Henry hoover factory remains in the same facility in Chard, Somerset, UK.
However, in 2022 Numatic applied for planning permission to build a new Henry vacuum factory said to be the size of two football pitches. The new site, roughly 23,820sqm would be specifically for the production of new Henrys and it would be located close to Numatic’s existing facility.
The move is driven by increasing demand for Henry hoovers.
