David Ayres, Harry (Holly) Holyoake and Peter Hargrave work for Dalmas who announce that the business is to relocate to Chorley, Lancashire – none of the trio want to move.

1964

David approaches both Peter and Holly about setting up their own adhesive tape company and Advance Tapes is born.

1968

Peter Hargrave sells 4 million holes to Norway for £4000. These were the waste cut from ileostomy patches.

1969

Company joins AFERA, the European Self-Adhesive Tape Association. Advance also wins a gold award for its exports.

1975

Advance Tapes France is founded, a sister company based in Meaux.

1979

Advance Tapes Deutschland founded in Andernach, it later relocates to Kornwestheim.

1981

HRH Prince Charles visits the Abbey Meadows site, touring the factory before signing an official portrait.

1985

Advance donate tape to Live Aid in London and recieve a letter of thanks from Bob Geldof and Peter Clarke.

1987

Abbey Meadows gains BS5750 British Standard for quality. The company has since always retained the ever changing British Standard.

1988

Pinfold Road factory is officially opened by the Rt Hon Under Secretary of State for Industry Robert Atkin.

1991

David Ayres is awarded OBE for his services to Export in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

1996

Advance gains Investor in People accreditation; something it still maintains today.

1996

Product AT293 acheives PRS10 British Gas Standard, and wins the British Gas contract becoming the only supplier of this product.

2000

Mike Ayres becomes Chief Executive of ATI as Peter Hargrave retires.

2000

AT6102 is launched, a polythene tape that behaves like PVC, with greener credentials.

2005

The business achieves pre tax Profits of £1 million for the first time in its history.

2010

Advance invests €1 million in a slit and rewind machine for cloth tape, allowing conversion from jumbo with the abililty to pack cut rolls into cartons.

2012

The company is announced as the regional winner of the HSBC Business Thinking Intiative, winning a prize of £100,000.

2012

Advance rejuvenates its corporate marketing and the process begins to change all branding across the business.

2012

Advance Converting is opened – A pupose built converting facility and head office located in Thurmaston.

2013

A new, fully automated adhesive mixing and cloth coating line is installed at Advance Coating.

2014

The iconic AT7 gets a special gold label to celebrate the companys 50th birthday, the celebrations also include a Gala Evening Dinner at the Grand Hotel.

2015

Abbey Meadows makes its last roll of cloth tape.

2017

Kym Ellington joins the group as Finance Director.

2018

Vision 2022 is launched. A plan to grow the business by growing the employees.

2019

Introduction of We Matter, focusing on Engagement, Skills and Behaviours to enable the business to continue to develop the workforce.

2021

Adam Bramley, a home-grown employee of 20 years, is appointed Operations Manager.

2021

Sharon Boyle is appointed Manging Director.

2024

Advance Tapes celebrates it’s 60th year in business. On a roll since 1964 – 60 years of making great tape!

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