NOT many people know that the largest wholesaler of schoolwear in the UK is based in a Trowbridge industrial estate.

Blue Max Banner employs around 100 people at its site in Kennet Way who work in a range of roles from embroidery to warehouse staff, and with an annual turnover of £47m, the company is twice the size of its competitors.

This year, the company will distribute around six and a half million garments to around 2,000 retailers around the world including half a million blazers, 250,000 skirts and blouses and one million sweatshirts.

The bulk of the product, which will this year amount to 450 containers, comes from factories in various countries in The Far East, which are visited regularly by the company to ensure standards are adhered to.

Chief executive Nigel Plenderleith said: “The growth of the company over the past five years has been quite dramatic.

“Our business is based on service we set the industry standards when it comes to satisfying customers’ needs.

“We also do a lot to ensure our staff are kept happy with an employee forum which meets monthly to discuss what they would like to see added or improved, free lunches including the popular Chips Tuesday and we also allow staff to have an extra day of holiday on their birthday.”

Blue Max started up in 1987 when Mary Fawcus was asked to raise funds for the Equestrian Olympic Fund and designed commemorative sweatshirts to do so, before watching the company grow rapidly.

In 2010, the business acquired Banner and Beau Brummel to form Blue Max Banner, a move which saw turnover rocket. The Fawcus family then sold their business in 2015, which is when Mr Plenderleith took over the reins to take it to the next level.

Julie Marshall, the company’s director of buying, has been in position for 32 years.

She said: “I worked for Banner in Stockport before moving down six years ago after the acquisition.

“It was a great opportunity to move down here and I’ve enjoyed it every year.

“One of the main aspects of my role is to maintain relationships with the factories that supply us, which means I get to travel quite a bit to countries including Pakistan, China and Vietnam which I love.

“I love the job and the people are great. There’s a really nice working environment and it’s a diverse role, which is what has kept me here for over three decades.”