In the spotlight with Clive Johnstone

JSP LTD was founded in 1964 by Clive Johnstone, chairman of JSP - initially manufacturing protective clothing - from a base of operations in King Street, Hammersmith in West London. Clive started out cutting and sewing material in the basement to make aprons and work clothing with a single sewing machine. 

The business grew and new workshop premises were taken on in Barnes to accommodate more sewing machinists and with cutting tables / kitting areas to support a network of outworkers. Across the road an old cinema had been converted into a recording studio - Olympic Sound Studios. Clive rented the empty basement as a warehouse and would often see the likes of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Animals, Jimi Hendrix, Manfred Mann, the Yardbirds turning up as he wheeled the latest production across the road on a home-made trolley. He tells the story with amusement of how John Lennon once gave him a friendly boot, helped him push the trolley across, unpack and then invited him for a drink - a momentous experience. Eric Burden bashing out The House of the Rising Sun recorded on a hot and still summer night as the sound reverberated around Barnes is also still vivid in the memory. 

The business continued to grow producing donkey jackets, cold storage clothing, waterproof clothing, tarpaulins, and items for the industry, construction, the docks, and fishing industries. 

In 1969 JSP needed more machinists and so left West London for the rural Cotswolds taking up residence in what had been the oldest glove factory in Woodstock, a building some 600 years old. 

Further expansion saw JSP in 1972 set up its main manufacturing location in a large old converted blanket mill on the River Windrush - Worsham Mill, Minster Lovell - which is still JSP’s Head Office today. The business continued to expand during the 1970s having begun the production of PPE - specialising in Head, Eye&Face, Hearing and Respiratory Protective Equipment Products - as well as the manufacture of Traffic Management Products in what was by then 5 separate factory locations in Oxfordshire. 

The 1980s and 90s saw widescale developments in health and safety legislation with the 1996 European PPE Directive making a significant impact. Companies assessed risk and tightened up their health and safety policies which drove subsequent demand for PPE. Manufacturing processes, including the latest injection moulding equipment, were significantly expanded at Worsham Mill, along with extrusion, compression, rotational and blow moulding processes at other sites. 

During the late 1990s and early 2000s JSP continued expanding its UK manufacturing however also importantly started developing overseas manufacturing - in new facilities in 2000 in China and in 2001 in the UAE. At a time when Sterling was strong, labour cost differentials and labour availability overseas were markedly better, and with new and growing nearby regional export markets providing growth opportunities it was a good move. 

Sales grew worldwide in the 2000s to over 95 countries with strong market positions developing across Europe as the market developed under new legislation. JSP’s focus on putting the customer first and providing great service continued, along with interest in more bespoke PPE specified by the end user. This led to an important decision in 2008 to radically invest in lean manufacturing - with integrated, automated production in the UK - to shorten lead times with maximum productivity and cost focus. 

In 2011, the UK Prime Minister formally opened JSP’s new fully robot-automated head protection facilities at Worsham Mill - it was the start of continued investment in lean manufacturing which has not stopped. 

In 2018 with continued growth in sales in the European Union, JSP decided to take the next step in the lean journey and set up localised European manufacturing in Dusseldorf, Germany - replicating the UK automated manufacturing facility - again to service its European customers faster with bespoked solutions. 

From the late 2000s a network of overseas offices was also set up to focus on servicing our local distribution customers - in France, Spain, Poland, USA, China from JSP’s manufacturing facilities in UK, UAE, China and Germany. 

The step changes made from 2011 saw further growth in sales with ground-breaking innovation in patented new manufacturing technologies and in newly launched above-neck PPE products. Recognition came swiftly with Frost and Sullivan from their independent research in 2014 naming JSP as the European Market Leader in Industrial Head Protection. 

JSP’s mission is to improve the safety and health of people in the workplace worldwide. Now commencing the 60thyear, this mission remains the guiding principle to everything done within the business. In 2023 JSP is recognised as a global brand leader in above-neck Industrial Head Protection with sales of over £90m directly employing over 450 people in its locations worldwide. 

It’s an incredible story and all carried out under the driving vision of JSP chairman, Clive Johnstone who started out back in 1964 with a single sewing machine and a cutting table in King Street, Hammersmith. 

Clive Johnstone is chairman of JSP. For more information, visit www.jspsafety.com

Lifetime Achievement Award 

Many congratulations to Clive Johnstone, Chairman of JSP Ltd who was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Safety & Health Excellence Awards 2023 by the British Safety Industry Federation.

From his roots sewing protective clothing in a basement in Hammersmith, West London, to chairing an industry-leading international PPE & Traffic Management manufacturing company employing hundreds of people worldwide, this award acknowledges his tremendous contribution to the health and safety industry.

JSP’s mission is to improve the safety and health of people in the workplace worldwide. Now commencing the 60th year, this mission remains the guiding principle to everything done within the business. In 2023 JSP is recognised as a global brand leader in above-neck Industrial Head Protection with sales of over £90m directly employing over 450 people in its locations worldwide.

JSP continue to drive the global advance of innovative PPE, designing ground-breaking patented products using the latest Computer-Aided Design (CAD) and manufacturing technologies, all carried out under the driving vision of JSP Chairman, Clive Johnstone who started out back in 1964 with a single sewing machine and a cutting table in King Street, Hammersmith.