Starrett’s site in Jedburgh was opened in 1958 and has since grown to become one of the US-headquartered business’ main manufacturing facilities.
Laroy S. Starrett invented and patented the combination square in 1878 and founded the L.S. Starrett Company two years later. By 1882, the company had expanded, with sales representatives across the US and into London and Paris. Since then, the company has been responsible for many of the tools, equipment and machinery that are commonplace in factories across the world today.
The company began its international expansion in 1956. “After establishing a base in Sao Paulo, Brazil the business was also considering locations in the UK and Europe” explains Donald Miller, General Sales Manager of Starrett’s UK factory “Jedburgh’s town provost at the time realised the potential opportunity for the Scottish Borders area and arranged to meet with Douglas R. Starrett to promote Jedburgh as an ideal location. The meeting was a success and the Starrett UK factory was constructed on the outskirts of Jedburgh in 1958”.
Today, the 200,00 square foot site employs over 150 people, and produces over two million hole saws per year, along with manufacturing a range of other saws and machines, including optical profile projectors and band saw blades. The site is the epicentre of Starrett’s UK and European operations, and supplies to over 50 countries.
“At Starrett, we’re proud to have such a long history of UK manufacturing,” continues Miller. “We’ve had 60 years to contribute to the nation’s manufacturing excellence, and we consider it a real honour to be part of such a powerful legacy.”
