Few towns in the UK furniture industry carry the weight of heritage quite like Long Eaton. For over a century, it has been home to skilled makers, specialist suppliers and family businesses whose combined expertise has helped shape British upholstery manufacturing – and Wade Spring is proud to be part of that story, not only as a Long Eaton manufacturer, but as a business that continues to evolve while remaining anchored to the values that defined its beginnings …
Founded in 1921 by Frisby Wade, the company relocated its production to Wellington Street in Long Eaton in 1929, a site that remains at the heart of Wade Spring’s manufacturing operation to this day.
Now led by chairman Daniel Wade, great grandson of the founder, the business continues as a family-owned company, blending generational knowledge with modern manufacturing disciplines. This continuity has enabled Wade Spring to respond to market change without losing sight of what has always mattered – quality, reliability and long-term customer relationships.
From the earliest days, innovation played a central role in Wade Spring’s development. During the 1920s, the company was among the first manufacturers to produce patented mesh-top coil-spring units. a product that would go on to become a cornerstone of British upholstery.
While furniture design, materials and consumer expectations have evolved dramatically over the decades, demand for this traditional spring technology has endured. Designed for resilience and long-term comfort, mesh-top coil-spring units remain a preferred solution in premium seating, valued for their performance, longevity and traditional craftsmanship, says Wade Spring.
In recognition of the heritage, skill and specialist knowledge behind these products, Wade Spring recently introduced new branding for its traditional coil spring units, under the name Wade Heritage Spring.
“The initiative goes far beyond aesthetics,” says the spring specialist. “It represents a renewed commitment to highlighting the experience, precision and handcrafted processes required to manufacture these units – expertise built and refined over many decades. As transparency and product provenance become increasingly important across the furniture market, Wade Heritage Spring helps articulate what sits beneath the upholstery, and why traditional coil springing continues to define quality seating.”
While Wade Spring remains proud of its past, the business is firmly focused on the future. In recent years, renewed emphasis has been placed on maximising the potential of its Long Eaton footprint, ensuring that every department, process and space contributes value to customers and to the sustainability of the business. This has included strategic diversification across the business, reinforcing Wade Spring’s position as a flexible, forward-thinking manufacturing partner.
A significant pillar of that strength lies in the company’s Zig Zag spring department, which today stands as Wade Spring’s largest production area. With the capacity to manufacture more than 500,000 zig zag springs per week, the department plays a vital role in supporting UK furniture manufacturers and wholesalers alike.
Producing both zig zag and super loop springs, the operation delivers consistent, high-quality components for a wide range of seating applications. By maintaining large-scale UK manufacturing capability in this core product category, Wade Spring continues to support domestic supply chains with dependable volume production backed by rigorous quality standards.
Alongside its established spring ranges, a key focus of Wade Spring’s recent strategy has been the development of a dedicated pocket spring department. Investment in advanced machinery, robust systems and experienced personnel has enabled the company to support both furniture and bedding applications, while maintaining the same levels of detail, consistency and quality that define its traditional spring products.
This investment has allowed Wade Spring to establish a clearly defined pocket spring range. At its core is Wade ProCore, the company’s flagship system, engineered to deliver “deep, luxurious comfort with consistent support”.
Wade LiteCore provides a lighter-weight, cost-efficient alternative, offering dependable performance for value-driven or structurally specific applications.
For increased durability, Wade ProEdge introduces firmer springs along the mattress sides to enhance edge support.
At the premium end of the range, Wade DuoCore delivers heightened responsiveness through a double-decker construction, with spring counts from 2000 to 3000.
Completing the range, Wade Low Core offers a compact solution for height-restricted applications such as divans, sofabed mattresses and other low-profile designs.
That balance between heritage and innovation is also reflected beyond the factory walls. The adjacent building has fulfilled several roles over the years, first as the Wade Furniture Group showroom and more recently as the JDP Furniture Group premises. Following JDP’s closure in 2020, the site was comprehensively redeveloped to become the Wade Business Centre, a multi-purpose facility that reflects both the company’s evolution and its long-term commitment to Long Eaton.
Today, the Wade Business Centre houses Wade Spring’s management offices, warehousing, furniture showrooms, production areas and dedicated R&D space. It includes the Street Food Kitchen, a cafe serving businesses within the centre, neighbouring companies and the wider public, reinforcing its role as a shared community hub.
The centre also features a large conference and meeting suite that has become a valued resource for the local industry, regularly hosting Long Eaton Chamber of Trade meetings and British Furniture Association events, including roundtable discussions with manufacturers and the local MP. Through these initiatives, Wade Spring continues to play an active role in supporting collaboration across the furniture sector.
As Long Eaton’s manufacturing landscape evolves, Wade Spring’s journey reflects the characteristics that have long defined the town – adaptability, craftsmanship, and a commitment to long-term investment. With more than a century of experience and a clear strategy for the future, the company remains focused on supporting British furniture manufacturing for generations to come.
This profile featured in this year's Long Eaton: Furniture Hub supplement.
