News

2026 marks a very special milestone for everyone associated with Allthread Plastics, as we celebrate 50 years of trading. As the celebrations begin, we wanted to look back and reflect upon the previous five decades and the many changes that have brought us to where the company is today.

The company was started in January 1976 by June and Allan Hampson. The original aim was to supply threaded rod to the wholesale refrigeration industry. Back then, things were obviously very different from how they are today. There was no internet. No email. Monthly statements were photocopied at the local library before being sent out in the post. Even speaking to an overseas customer required a lot more effort than simply sending a message online.

Allthread has grown considerably and changed a great deal in the five decades that have followed. One of the biggest steps forward came when we purchased our first Austin Allen moulding machine. Doing so allowed us to begin producing nylon nuts and washers in-house, and opened the door to more bespoke work - something that has helped to shape the injection moulding side of the business that remains such an important part of what we do today.

To this day, we continue to supply a wide range of plastic threaded components, including:

• Fasteners & Fixings
• Allthread / threaded rod / studding
• Spacers & packers
• Caps & covers
• Insulators for dissimilar materials
• And much more!

In addition to that, we also support customers with custom plastic parts, tooling and specialist mouldings. Some of those projects are simple and straightforward. With others, we enjoy the challenge of problem-solving and drawing up on our technical expertise.

That is one of the things that makes Allthread different. We are not a high-volume trade moulder turning out the same products day after day. A lot of our work involves custom tooling, technical adaptability and niche production runs. We are often asked to take on more complex “concept projects”, where a customer has a design or idea and needs support turning it into a physical product.

These lower-volume custom moulding projects are not always something that larger trade moulders are keen to take on. For us, it’s the kind of work we really enjoy. Our injection moulding machines use hydraulic and electronic processes, and over the years we have continued to benefit from improvements in safety, control and technology - though a lot of the job still comes down to having a good level of experience, judgement, and understanding the machinery inside out.

The business is currently being led by Managing Directors Mike & Lorraine Stone. Mike has been with the company since 2013, and alongside Lorraine and Operations Manager, Rosey Shrosbree, they continue to guide the business forward while keeping hold of the family values and practical, hands-on approach that have always been important to Allthread.

We are also incredibly fortunate to have a very loyal and experienced team at Allthread. Many members of staff have been part of Allthread for more than a decade, and some for much longer. That includes Steve, our “setting wizard”, who has kept the mould shop running like a well-oiled machine for 42 years and knows the little quirks of our injection moulding machinery better than anyone.

There is also Dee, who has looked after our customer base inside out for 30 years, and Chris, who joined as an apprentice straight from college 16 years ago and now takes the reins of machining. Their knowledge, care and commitment, along with the efforts of the wider team, have played a huge part in helping the company reach this point.

We know that long-term success would not have been possible without strong relationships with our customers and suppliers. A reliable supplier base, excellent customer relationships and a loyal workforce have all helped Allthread continue moving forward for five decades.

As we begin looking ahead to the next 50 years, we remain as focused as ever on the things that have always mattered to us: good products, helpful service, reliable supply and maintaining strong relationships with our customers and suppliers.

We are also looking carefully at how we continue to grow in a sustainable way. This includes reducing our environmental footprint, reusing plastic residue in future production cycles, processing suitable plastic components so they can be re-injected, and designing fully recyclable products wherever possible. We also continue to source materials from ISO 9002-certified suppliers, helping us maintain the product integrity our customers expect.

Looking ahead through 2026 and beyond, our focus is on growing our work in bespoke mouldings and tooling, especially as more customers look to develop new product ranges and specialist components.

A big thank you to everyone who has been part of Allthread’s journey over the past 50 years. We are incredibly proud of our history, grateful to the people who have helped shape it, and very excited to see what comes next.