The History of PWS
As we mark 50 years since PWS was first established, we wanted to take a moment to share a bit about our story so far, and where we’re heading in the future.
Back in 1975, in a small semi-detached house in Plymouth, the very first order was placed: a pair of rubber knee pads for a nearby company. These were hand-delivered within one hour by the founder, and PWS was born.
Two years later, the business set up shop in a rental unit in the city centre as PWS continued to grow, purchasing its first van to help transport stock to a wider customer base. This continued until 1985, when PWS acquired its first freehold premises on Holborn Street in Plymouth, later expanding into the surrounding units to grow the site.
Over the years, as PWS developed, so did its branding. In 1988, the Rhino logo was introduced to represent tough and durable products.
By 2000, PWS celebrated 25 years in business, achieving a turnover of £1.5 million and employing 10 staff. At the time, every order was still manually processed. To compete in the 21st century, MyWeb was developed and launched in 2009, allowing customers to place orders online and opening the doors to ecommerce. In 2011, to expand its product range and appeal to a wider audience, PWS acquired Compton Cleaning Services (CCS), a cleaning supply company, which helped to develop its own product lines.
With increasing demand and continued growth, PWS moved into larger premises in the Estover region of Plymouth in 2013. This new space enabled the business to work with manufacturers to develop and exclusively supply Bertee, a high-quality workwear partner brand, which launched in 2015. Bertee supplied the growing number of organisations PWS partnered with across sectors such as construction and manufacturing. As demand for flame-retardant clothing grew, PWS partnered with and became the sole distributer of Redd in 2018.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, PWS played a key role in supplying PPE for essential workers in our current sectors. This strengthened our reach further, working with nearly 100 housing associations and five major utility companies, whilst working with our customers and key suppliers to develop an exclusive range of products such as Heta safety gloves, Trak footwear, and Bertee Ecowear.
Today, in 2025, PWS celebrates 50 years in business.
“Five Decades ago my grandfather started PWS right here in Plymouth. Today we celebrate five decades of hard work, growth and the help from incredible people. From all of us here at PWS, our team, our customers and loyal supporters who have made this journey possible, thank you. Here’s to the next chapter and many more years to come.”
Ralph Burtenshaw, Managing Director, PWS.
From that first pair of rubber knee pads to becoming a multimillion-pound company with over 60 staff, the future looks bright for PWS. Here’s to the next 50 years!
