Production Support (Auxiliary) – FULL TRAINING PROVIDED
Location: South Chard, Somerset
Hours: Full time, two week rolling shift pattern (no weekend working).
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience (starting from £12.73 per hour, rising as skills are gained)
Benefits: Workplace pension, Employee Assistance Programme (from day one), health benefits scheme (after 2 years’ service), 31 days annual leave including 8 bank holidays and Christmas and summer factory closures.
Be part of something rare – and proudly local. Where 200 year old machinery meets 21st century demand.
This is not your average manufacturing role – it’s a hands on shop floor role, working with historic machinery to manufacture a unique product that still matters today. You will be joining a site that has been part of Chard’s industrial heritage for almost 200 years.
Bobbinet tulle has been produced here since the early 19th century, using machinery and techniques that trace their origins back to 1808. Today, those same machines are producing fabrics made from fibres and materials that did not exist when they were first invented, for modern applications that could never have been imagined at the time.
Today, South Chard remains home to the world’s largest bobbinet factory, producing specialist fabrics supplied across the globe. Generations of local families have worked here, passing down skills that are now increasingly rare. The work carried out in this factory supports modern industries including fashion, film & theatre, military and specialist technical applications – all from a site that is deeply rooted in the local community.
If you are looking for skilled employment with a sense of pride, purpose and heritage, this is a genuinely unique opportunity.
The role
As a Production Support (Auxiliary) operative, you will play a vital role in keeping bobbinet machines running efficiently by preparing and supporting the production process.
Your work will include:
- Preparing carriages and bobbins for use on production machines
- Transporting and handling trays of bobbins within the factory
- Checking fit, thread alignment and tension using fine fingertip work
- Working closely with Twisthands and production teams to keep machines supplied and running
This is a hands‑on, physical factory role involving both manual handling and detailed preparation work. Accuracy, care and consistency are essential to ensure production runs smoothly. Full training is provided. No previous textile or manufacturing experience is required.
Who this role suits - This opportunity is ideal whether you are:
- Leaving college
- Looking for a career change
- Returning to work
- Seeking stable, long term employment with progression
What matters most is your approach to work, your reliability and your willingness to learn.
The ideal candidate
You will be:
- Physically fit and comfortable with hands on factory work
- Reliable, conscientious and safety aware
- A good team player who also works well independently
- Punctual, with a strong work ethic
- Detail focused, with the ability to follow processes accurately and carry out precise preparation work
Please note: due to the factory’s village location, your own transport is desirable. There is a regular but infrequent bus service linking Axminster and Chard.
Training, development and progression
- Full role specific training provided
- Access to additional training courses
- Opportunity to build valuable production and manufacturing skills
- Supportive team environment with experienced colleagues
- Scope to develop your role over time, including potential responsibilities in areas such as health and safety
The business values long term careers and will support your development as your skills and experience grow.
Why work here
- Learn a rare and respected manufacturing skill
- Work in a historic factory that still plays an active role in modern industry
- Be part of a close knit, experienced team
- No weekend working
- Generous holiday allowance with planned closures
- Contribute to a business that puts South Chard on the global map
If you feel this role could be right for you, apply today and become part of a tradition that continues to shape both our industry and our community.
Keywords: Production Support, Auxiliary, Factory Worker, Production Operative, Manufacturing Operative, Warehouse Operative, Trainee, Entry Level, Manual Work