CURTIS WOOL DIRECT is a family owned and operated business that has a long and well established history with its head office in Bradford United Kingdom. Recent expansion by this group of companies is the result of a deliberate policy to develop into a major exporter, importer and processor of raw materials from around the world.

The company group is expected to handle 50 million kg of wool per year. Strong and carpet wool are the core products and are processed through the Haworth scouring and Haworth combing plants.

CURTIS WOOL DIRECT was formed as a result of a merger between the wool interests of the Curtis family and the wool trading and processing businesses owned by a Norwegian company – Norsk Kjottsamvirke BA, a farmer owned meat and wool co-operative with over 30,000 members and an annual turnover in excess of 1.5 billion Euros. ‘We buy the majority of the Norwegian wool clip, as well as the majority of the Shetland Isles wool clip’, says Mr Curtis.

As a well established West Yorkshire wool merchant Curtis Wool started in the wool business in the 1940s, soon after WWII. The founding director, Mr. Lawrence Curtis had left a distinguished career in the Royal Air Force to establish the company, and although now retired, still continues to take an interest in the company. Beginning with his first business practice Curtis Wool has continued to pursue a policy of developing the company into a major international wool exporter. This policy of expansion is paying dividends according to Martin Curtis, company director. Today, Curtis Wool Direct incorporates such companies as L.J. Macdonald Ltd, Natural Fibres Ltd, Henry Cullingworth & Sons (Bradford) Ltd, Jamieson & Smith, Francis Willey (British Wools1935) Ltd, Steward & Illi, J & H. Rhodes (Wool) Ltd and Bussey Hewitt Wools. ‘Our associate companies are involved in wool scouring and topmaking and are based in Bradford’.

‘We work closely with the growers and so shorten the pipeline to the buyer. This allows our buyers to order to a specific quality and type of product. We employ specialist wool sorters with over seventy years of experience between them. In working closely with the grower we are able to address the specific needs of wool buyers in today’s very competitive environment’, continues Mr Curtis.

Further, current company directors Martin Curtis and his brother Simon Curtis, both based in Bradford UK, have been involvement with New Zealand woolgrowers for over twenty years.

Today the new joint company operates under the name of CURTIS WOOL DIRECT, in New Zealand and handles up to 70,000 bales of wool a year, making it one of New Zealand’s biggest operators. The company buys wool direct from farmers and has a network of buyers visiting and working directly with the farms. It has its own transport division that operates from farmer to sorting facility and has direct control from farm to mill. ‘We deal directly with wool mills in China and also sell through agents’, says Mr John Dransfield, director Curtis Wool Direct (Export) Ltd.

"We deal in crossbred wools for hand knitted yarn for carpet and can supply scoured wool if required’.

Mr Dransfield has 25 years experience in the NZ wool industry. The company has now been exporting to China for over 18 months.

‘Our ability to source wool direct from the farm and control every stage from farm to the mills in China gives us the ability to supply a good quality product to meet our clients specifications’, said Mr Dransfield.

‘The company is ideally positioned to supply the end user including carpet yarn spinners, bedding and hand knitted yarn manufacturers. Curtis Wool Direct and its worldwide offices wish to further increase its exports to China and would welcome enquiries from mills and agents in the PRC’, concluded Martin Curtis.