Who would have thought in 1981 that a novelty vacuum cleaner would become one of Somerset’s most famous exports?

But that is just what happened after the world was introduced to Henry, the loveable character cleaner produced by county-based Numatic.

Now, he is a household name - and face - with millions of homes using Henry’s help to keep things clean.

Chard & Ilminster News:

While the range of Henrys (as well as Hetty, Harry, James and more) and other cleaning products produced by the firm has expanded, Numatic has remained at the heart of Chard, keeping its production plant in the town, sending vacuums around the globe.

But that was not the very beginning for Numatic.

Chard & Ilminster News:

The company was founded in 1969 in a small Crewkerne workshop, pictured above inset, where it produced its first commercial vacuum cleaner design for cleaning coal, oil and gas-fired burners.

In 1973, demand had grown too big for the Crewkerne works, and Numatic moved to a watermill in Yeovil, often battling floods to keep the production line rolling!

Then, in 1990, after a further move to Beaminster, the company found its forever home - in Chard.

But despite changes in the market, at the company and around the world, the firm continues to grow and its products continue to be in demand, and Numatic is now expanding again.

The company is looking for new skills to add to the workforce in Chard, with a variety of roles on offer, including:

* Metal Shop

* Assembly

* Mould Shop

* Warehousing

* Forklift drivers

“With competitive salaries and an up-to-date site with new technology being added all the time, it’s a great place to be part of the journey,” said a spokesperson.

“We pride ourselves in building quality to last and having a strong, committed workforce.”

A variety of shifts are on offer, including days, nights, double days and continental shifts, offered on a temporary to permanent basis.

Anyone interested in joining the Numatic team can browse vacancies at numatic.co.uk/contact/vacancies, or for more information, send your CV and an overview of what you are looking for to jobs@numatic.co.uk