Economy

Typical of most old of market towns, the manual workers only produced goods for town’s inhabitants and the region around. Not least because of the iron and coal deposits, the county of Shropshire became the cradle of the industrial revolution in Eu-rope. For more than one and a half centuries the carpet industry was important for the town’s economic development.

Steam Engine

At the beginning of the 19th century, steam engines were manufactured in “Hazeldine’s Foundry” in Bridgnorth and exported all over the world. The company had existed up to 1830. Richard Trevithick, a pioneer in the field of steam engineering, had been working in Bridgnorth for some time. The picture shows a steam engine, manufactured in Bridgnorth.

Carpet industry

For a long time, carpet-making was common in Bridgnorth, when in the 19th century the carpet-making became an important industrial branch. In the middle of the 19th century 600 workers were employed in the largest local carpet factory. In the 1980’s Bridgnorth’s last factory was closed down.

Present-day Industry

For a long time, companies have been setting up in Bridgnorth. The biggest companies are BRIDGNORTH ALUMINIUM and NOVELIS, two of the most important   companies processing aluminium. CORAM is a leading manufacturer of shower enclosures, showertrays and bathscreens. CRAVEN DUNILL sells precious ceramic wall and floor tiles.