Historic Teesside firm creates new jobs with “exciting” acquisition of local business

Teesside based Caswells Group celebrated half a century in business in 2022 and has now acquired another 50-year-old Teesside business, adding to its team and product offering in the process.

Founded in 1962, Caswells Group has spent 50 years supplying businesses across the country with PPE, janitorial, safety and hose/hydraulic supplies, including household names such as Nestle, and has acquired Jarred’s Office Supplies for an undisclosed sum.

Gene Jarred and his wife Lily originally opened Jarred’s with a £132 redundancy cheque and a purchase order from Middlesbrough Council, supplying duplicating machines (pre-photocopiers) and paper stock, before adding office stationery, furniture and machines (electronic typewriters and photocopiers) to its offering.

Commercial director at Caswells, Paul Murphy commented: “Owners on both sides have known each other socially from the beginning and traded with each other.

“We had been seeking an acquisition in this field for some time to further enhance our offering to our customers, so when the opportunity arose to combine Jarred’s product portfolio and links with one of Europe’s largest stationery supplies buying groups, we knew it was a great opportunity.”

The acquisition offers the potential for customers to take advantage of greater single sourcing opportunities which can lead to simpler operations and reduced costs, with Jarred’s now being operated from Caswells’ site on Cowpen Industrial Estate in Billingham. It also has the potential to create another 10 or more jobs on Teesside over the next 18 months.

Joanne Dougherty, sales manager at Jarred’s Office Supplies, part of Caswells Group, added: “It’s been a great move to become part of Caswells, not just for customers of both businesses but also for staff.

“After 50 successful years we are now able to enjoy being part of a larger business which offers opportunities for skills and career development in other areas, meaning our people can enjoy an exciting future with a business sharing our own ethos.”

Caswells supports many local charities including Butterwick Hospice and The Moses Project, and made numerous donations of PPE and sanitising products to causes and local hospitals during the Covid19 pandemic.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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