Haverhill ex-pat returns to help forge link between G&A Safety Supplies and Totectors

A Haverhill ex-pat who relaunched a famous brand of safety footwear has returned to his roots to set up a dealership in the town.

Glen Richards lives 30 minutes from Amsterdam, in the Netherlands - the country he has called home for ten years - and is now director of International Brands Group, specialists in the manufacture and supply of work footwear.

The company recently acquired and resurrected the Totectors safety footwear brand, which this year celebrated its 80th anniversary.

After meeting representatives of Helions Bumpstead Road-based G&A Safety Supplies - a company of 20 years standing - at a trade fair a few months back, an agreement was struck to make it the only place in Haverhill where Totectors footwear can be bought direct from a showroom.

Glen, 50, who went to school at Samuel Ward in Haverhill and whose dad Colin Richards owns TVL Allstar Video in the town, explained: “The brand was dormant for many years and we injected millions of pounds into Totectors to design and develop what is, without doubt, the most fashionable safety footwear brand on the market, safety shoe's that people want to wear, not have to wear.

”What makes Totectors different from other brands is that our boots are fashionable, actually you wouldn’t even know they’re safety footwear.”

A UK office and showroom was opened in Northampton, very close to the original Totectors factory and distribution was secured across the UK, Benelux, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand.

But bringing the brand to Haverhill was high on Glen’s agenda.

He said: “I wanted to make Totectors available to the workers of Haverhill, and so I was delighted when G&A Safety signed to be the dealer.

“The team at G&A are very professional and knowledgeable on personal protective equipment and so I know the Totectors brand is in very good hands.

“We feel that it’s very important that you look great when you’re protected so would encourage local tradesman to see the range of Totectors safety footwear at G&A Safety.”

Totectors are sold online through Screwfix and Toolstation but, said Glen, G&A Safety is the only place in Haverhill, or a ten-mile radius, where they can be bought in-store.

Jo Slack, at G&A Safety, said the the feedback from customers has been very good since it has stocked Totectors.

“They are going very well.”