Associated British Hat Manufacturers Ltd was a holding company formed in 1966, by merging five of Britain's largest felt hat manufacturers.''Denton and the Archaeology of the Felt Hatting Industry'' by Michael Nevell, Brian Grimsditch and Ivan Hradil. The intention was to rationalize a struggling industry that faced a declining market and foreign competition. After the merger production was concentrated at the Christy factory in Stockport and the Wilson's factory in Denton. In 1980, ABHM sold the entire share capital of its subsidiary Christy & Co to Cadogan Oakley for £1.2 million. This resulted in the closure of the Wilson's factory, and all remaining hat production being consolidated into the Christy factory, which later closed in 1997.

Companies that merged to form ABHM

* Christy & Co Ltd,

Stockport Stockport is a town and borough in Greater Manchester, England, south-east of Manchester, south-west of Ashton-under-Lyne and north of Macclesfield. The River Goyt and Tame merge to create the River Mersey here. Most of the town is withi ...

* Battersby & Co Ltd, Stockport * T. & W. Lees Ltd, Stockport * J. Moores & Sons Ltd, Denton * Joseph Wilson & Sons Ltd, Denton

References

{{Reflist Defunct manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom Companies based in Stockport Hat companies 1966 establishments in England British companies established in 1966 Clothing companies established in 1966 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1997 1997 disestablishments in England