Kitchen and joinery supplier Howdens has been awarded the Manufacturing Guild Mark from The Furniture Makers’ Company.

Founded in 1995, the company sells kitchens to trade professionals who then install them for end users, from owner occupiers and small developers to local authorities and private landlords.

Manufacturing Guild Mark chairman Ben Burbidge presented Julian Lee, head of manufacturing operations at Howdens Joinery, with the certification.

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Ben Burbidge commented: “Congratulations to Howdens Joinery for successfully passing the independent audit to be awarded the Manufacturing Guild Mark.

“The seven criteria that each company is assessed against results in a complete check of the whole business.

“To pass each one is a real achievement and something all staff at the business can be proud of.”

Julian Lee said: “We are incredibly pleased and honoured to be awarded the Manufacturing Guild Mark as a mark of excellence in our manufacturing team and operations.

“As the UK’s largest kitchen manufacturer, we are very proud of our British manufacturing heritage and continue to heavily invest and develop our operation, people and products.”

Howdens supplies more than 469,000 account holders with 4.4million kitchen cabinets, 2.5million doors and one million worktops and breakfast bars each year.

It manufactures in factories based in Runcorn, Cheshire and Howden, East Yorkshire.

In 2018, Howdens reported annual sales of around £1.5billion, with a profit before tax of £239million.

Employing around 9,500 people, it operates more than 690 depots across the UK.

In its Overview Report of the Kitchen Market, JKMR reported Howdens outstripped DIY competitors in value and volume.