The harrod timeline

Ron Harrod makes his first garden nets

Ron Harrod supported the fishing industry buying second hand herring nets, repairing them and turning them into garden nets.

Ron Harrod makes his first football nets

When the supply of fishing nets ran out, the first football nets were made by local beatsters in Lowestoft. At its peak a network of over 100 out workers were employed all making a variety of sports nets by hand.

Ron Harrod sells his first football goals

Using local tradesman, the first wooden football goals were introduced to the range and sold to local clubs.

Ron Harrod makes first batch of football and rugby goal posts at his Horn Hill factory

The goal posts were made from wood and hand painted outside under a tarpaulin cover. These goals were then sold directly to local clubs.

Ron Harrod buys his first net machine

Manufacturing of nets is taken in house and automated with the purchase of a second-hand net making machine from Scotland.

Harrod diversifies from selling direct to clubs and appoints its first national distributor

In order to continue growing a decision was made to diversify from selling via mail order to selling wholesale through a network of distributors.

Harrod achieves first £1 million sales and Ron Harrod's eldest son Chris Harrod joins the business

Chris who was studying for his A levels joined the business earlier than expected to assist with the rapid growth of the company.

Harrod outgrows existing premises and buys land and builds a purpose-built manufacturing facility at Cooke Road

Stephanie Harrod officially joins the business to assist with Marketing and Human Resources.

Harrod diversifies further by introducing a range of home fitness equipment

The mid 80s saw a mini boom in home fitness with the Jane Fonda effect rippling through from the US to the UK.

More land is purchased at Cooke Road and the existing facility is extended due to the growth of the Bodybild home fitness range and the continued growth of sports posts and netting

A desire to produce a better-quality product saw the introduction of new machinery and a powder coating line. In order to cope with the rapidly expanding product ranges and growth, a further 30,000 sq. ft. of factory space is built and automated machinery

Harrod signs up PR guru Kenneth Johnson and sponsors the world’s strongest man Geoff Capes to further promote the Bodybild range

Geoff Capes is paid as a brand ambassador for Harrod range of home fitness equipment.

Ron Harrod co-founds Central European Normalisation Committee

Harrod leads the way to promote a new British and European standard for football goals after a fatality with an unsafe and homemade goal. This standard is then highlighted with Rons input by Ester Ranzen on national television as part of the popular BBC

Sales peak at £5 million, Stephanie introduces a ‘managing change’ initiative to help steer the company forward

The company has expanded rapidly but has also borrowed heavily, interest rates have doubled almost overnight and the company is now exposed to high gearing. Stephanie persuades the board to introduce a government initiative called managing change. Gus Turner, a Business Growth Consultant is brought in to assist and Stephanie heads up the scheme that sees the start of our Business Excellence journey.

Ron, Chris and Stephanie Harrod visit the winners of the Baldridge awards in the USA

In order to learn best practice and with no similar awards in the UK, visits to these companies proved to be invaluable and many new ideas were implemented back at R. Harrod Ltd.

Harrod puts in new quality systems to achieve the BSI quality standard

The whole company moves to Cooke Road
Harrod UK achieves Investors in People
To reflect a new international feel the company name is changed to Harrod UK Limited

Harrod UK supplies their first major tournament ‘Euro 96 European Football Championships’

Goal posts are installed at eight of the top football venues in England including the iconic Wembley Stadium. As part of this process a new style of net is designed along with a free hanging net support which is still used throughout the world today. Harrod UK exemplified the highest levels of customer service supervising every venue during the tournament and putting the company on the map of world class tournaments.

Harrod UK restructures its board of directors

David Bowling is promoted to Manufacturing Director. Stephanie Harrod takes over as Managing Director and Chris Harrod becomes Chief Executive.

Harrod UK secures the Rugby World Cup in Wales

Harrod UK designs, supplies and delivers superior rugby posts for the top rugby clubs in Wales.

Harrod UK diversifies into the domestic mail order gardening market

To capitalise on spare capacity in both manufacturing and netting and to enhance the seasonality of the business Harrod Horticultural is established.

Stephanie Harrod launches Harrod Horticultural

Using her passion for organic gardening, Stephanie develops the horticultural range with a dedicated grow your own focus.

Harrod UK secures the XVII Commonwealth Games – Manchester

Harrod Horticultural acquires Ashbourne Greenhouse Staging

Harrod Horticultural launches its first on line shopping site

Harrod UK celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Harrod Horticultural acquires Link-Stakes a UK manufacturer of plant supports and moves the company to Lowestoft

Harrod makes its debut at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Harrod Horticultural achieves £1 million turnover

Stephanie's Kitchen Garden is created to test new products

Harrod Horticultural acquires Rockefinch

Harrod UK is recognised for excellence by the EFQM and achieves a 3-star award

Harrod UK supplies goals for the first NFL International series game at Wembley Stadium

Harrod UK signs the London 2012 Olympic sole supplier agreement

Harrod UK is very proud to sign the contract to become the sole supplier of football and hockey goals to the London 2012 Olympics.

Harrod UK is sole supplier to the London 2012 Olympic Games for goals, nets and shelters for football, hockey and wheelchair rugby

Harrod UK supplies Euro championships Poland & Ukraine

Harrod Horticultural wins RHS Chelsea Flower Show product of the year for their patented slot & lock framework system

Harrod UK supplies goals for the Champions League final at Wembley Harrod Horticultural launch trade and export departments Harrod UK supplies the Rugby 7's World Cup in Moscow

Harrod UK achieves Investors in People Gold in its 60th year

Harrod Horticultural wins RHS Chelsea Flower Show product of the year for the second time for their patented storm proof crop protection cage

Harrod UK supplies XX Commonwealth Games - Glasgow

Harrod UK celebrates its 60th Anniversary

Harrod UK supplies Euro Hockey Championship

Official suppliers of posts to the Rugby World Cup

Harrod UK supplies the Under 20's FIFA World Cup in New Zealand with posts and nets

Harrod Horticultural wins BALI Affiliate award for best customer service

Harrod UK is the official supplier of Hockey posts and equipment to the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics Games

Harrod UK supplies the first ever NFL posts to Twickenham

Harrod UK supplies posts and nets to FIH Champions trophy

Harrod Horticultural secures bespoke product designs from top garden designers Andy Sturgeon and James Basson

Harrod Horticultural wins BALI Affiliate award for best customer service for the second year in a row

Centre of Innovation is opened

Supplier of Hockey equipment to the Hockey World League 2017 at Lee Valley in Stratford, London

Began supplying UK garden centres with our RHS endorsed steel wire range of obelisks and plant supports

Supplier of Hockey Goals and equipment to the Vitality Women’s Hockey World Cup at Lee Valley

Harrod UK wins BALI award for Employee Excellence

Awarded our first 5 Star Trade Stand Award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – the highest commendation for a truly inspirational display of products and plants

New Look Harrod Horticultural Website Launched

Launch of the new look Harrod Horticultural website with a fresh and contemporary look.

Rugby World Cup in Japan

Exclusive supplier of Rugby Posts to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

New Southwold Furniture Range Launched

Our exclusive furniture range is designed and manufactured in our Suffolk factory, high quality garden furniture taking influence from traditional design but utilising modern manufacturing techniques.

Proud to supply Southwold Furniture to Wilderness Reserve in Suffolk

This exclusive estate features a number of holiday properties and have chosen the Southwold Furniture for their outside entertaining spaces.

Euro 2020

Supplier of Football Goals across Europe for Euro 2020.

Tokyo Olympics 2020

Supplier of Hockey Goals and Shelters for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

World's First FIFA Quality Certified Goal

Harrod Sport Stadium Pro Goal approved as the Worlds First FIFA Quality Certified Goal.

Southwold Furniture at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Southwold Furniture shown at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show for the first time achieving record sales.

2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

Official Suppliers of Hockey Goals and Netball Posts to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

UEFA Women's Euros 2022

Proud supplier of Football Goals to the UEFA Womens Euros across select stadiums in England.

FIFA World Cup - Qatar 2022

Sole Supplier Football Goals across all 8 stadiums in Qatar for our first ever World Cup.

Southwold Casual Furniture Collection at Chelsea

The New Southwold Furniture Casual Collection launched at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023.

FIFA Women's World Cup 2023

Supplier of Football Goals to our first ever FIFA Womens World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

FIFA Club World Cup - Saudi Arabia

Our largest ever on-off order as a business to supply Football Goals and Equipment to the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Paris Saint Germain Training Campus

Supplied Football Goals and Team Shelters to the new Paris Saint Germain multi-million training campus.

70th Year Celebrations

In May 2024, we celebrated our 70th year of manufacturing excellence and remembered our Founder Ron Harrod and all that has been achieved over the last 7 decades. The success would not have been possible without all the hard work and expertise of our team and the enduring support from our valued customers.