Manufacturing

All Howdens kitchen cabinets are designed and manufactured in our factories in the UK at sites in Yorkshire and Cheshire. These factories only serve one customer – Howdens – and so they operate solely to meet the needs of our depots and our customers.

In May 2023, our rigid cabinets were awarded a Which? Best Buy. Which? said that the cabinets are solidly built and received an excellent rating for the strength of the drawers and hinges. Of all the customers surveyed, Which? also determined that Howdens customers were the least likely to have problems with their units after it was installed.

At our factory in Yorkshire, we make Howdens laminate worktops and breakfast bars, plus some cabinet doors. By manufacturing in the UK, we can cut down on unnecessary waste and time spent sourcing products, so you can get your kitchen installed faster.

We pride ourselves on our trusted and long-standing relationships with some of the world’s leading suppliers. We work closely with them to develop and build appliances that fit seamlessly into our kitchens from factories across Europe and Asia.

We have invested more than £220 million across four years in our manufacturing and distribution, so we can control our production facilities. This ensures we use the most efficient processes possible, helping to keep costs down, as well as our impact on the environment. For example, we convert 12k tonnes of sawdust into energy to power our factories, and 100% of our packaging is recycled.

We ensure our products come from responsibly managed forests and are produced in an environmentally friendly way. This is why we are certified to operate the Forest Stewardship Council and the Programme for the Endorsement of the Forest Certification Chain of Custody. These bodies mean we can trace the source of all our wood-based products back to the forest they were made.

In 2020 we were awarded the prestigious Manufacturing Guild Mark from The Furniture Makers’ Company. This accolade is a mark of excellence, distinguishing Britain’s top furnishing manufacturers since 1993. It is awarded to companies that demonstrate high standards across several assessment criteria, including design, product development, manufacturing, and sustainability.

We drive the innovation and design for all our products at a Product Development Centre in Yorkshire. We attend trade fairs, consult with forecast experts, and utilise customer feedback gathered through depots, to understand what tomorrow’s kitchens look like. When originating products, research and testing take place at our dedicated facility, allowing us to deliver market-leading products faster.