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A challenging workplace

Self-employed Michael Oliver has been the owner of Bespoke Alloys since 2015, setting the business up himself. It's a body shop that sprays cars and alloy wheels, activities that unfortunately create a dusty working environment where extraction is not always available to be used.

Michael also uses a gun wash machine with highly concentrated paint thinner to clean equipment using harsh chemicals. The products he uses can also give off fumes even while being stored.

Time for action

Michael has had asthma since he was four and has smoked throughout his adult life, so has always had issues with his breathing. However, for the past two years, he has been struggling at work and began to need more time off sick.

He was diagnosed with the condition COPD by doctors and advised to use better protection that did not restrict his breathing. Michael was so worried about losing his business and having to shut down that he was compelled to take action.

Expert service and solutions

Michael's paint supplier advised him to seek help from Arco as experts in respiratory protection. He visited Arco's Nottingham retail store and spoke to an advisor who listened to his story and concerns. She investigated what products he was using and reviewed COSHH sheets in order to give Michael the best possible guidance.

Using the information provided and through additional investigation, a powered respirator with specific filters was advised. Equipment was reviewed in store and Michael settled on the Sundström SR500 Fan Unit with an SR570 Face Shield – a decision based on the high levels of protection and flexibility it delivered.

A life-changing result

By his own admittance, Michael had nowhere else to go had Arco not managed to help him and ease his breathing issues. He finds the respiratory equipment comfortable to wear and is now able to do tasks more easily. Michael's productivity has improved and he can sometimes be a day ahead of his planned workload.

He is also feeling healthier and more confident, and the worries about his business have eased. Now, Michael is more certain about the future and has since renewed the lease on his premises for another three years, ready to keep more customers happy.

"Arco's customer service was brilliant. The detail they went into to ensure I had the right protection went above and beyond. Now I've got a new lease on life and can look forward to working safely and confidently for years to come."

Michael Oliver

Owner, Bespoke Alloys

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Investment will accelerate innovation, deepen customer and supplier partnerships and expand Arco’s reach across the UK, Europe and North America.

Arco, the UK and Ireland's leading safety specialist, today announced that global investment firm H.I.G. Capital has acquired the business, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Arco’s 140-year history.

The transaction represents a significant investment in Arco’s future, providing the capital and strategic support to accelerate growth, expand its capabilities and further strengthen its position across the personal protective equipment (PPE), workplace safety and training markets.

Since his appointment as Chief Executive Officer in December 2022, Guy Bruce and his leadership team have delivered 38.4% EBITDA compound annual growth over four consecutive years. 

During this period, Arco has undergone a significant transformation, creating a more scalable and resilient business while reinvesting in its operations, customer proposition, product range and innovation capabilities. The transformation has been underpinned by a clear commitment to responsible growth and ESG, culminating in Arco achieving EcoVadis Platinum status – the highest available rating – recognising the company’s approach to sustainability.

Having established the platform, capabilities and infrastructure to realise its full potential, Arco now enters its next phase of growth from a position of strength. Its market-leading safety proposition, deep supplier relationships and specialist expertise provide a strong foundation for continued investment and expansion across the UK, Europe and North America.

Investing in Growth for Customers and Suppliers

The acquisition marks the beginning of a new phase of investment for Arco, with significant opportunities to broaden its market reach and further enhance the value it provides to customers and suppliers.

Arco intends to invest in expanding its proprietary and Arco-branded product ranges, while significantly broadening its portfolio of specialist safety training and services. The business will also have greater scope to pursue strategic acquisitions that complement its capabilities, extend its geographic reach and create new opportunities for customers and supplier partners.

Most importantly, the investment provides a foundation for Arco’s long-term ambition: to build an even stronger business for its customers, suppliers and colleagues while preserving the culture, values, expertise and commitment to safety that have defined Arco for more than 140 years.

A Strong Foundation for the Future

Thomas Martin, spokesperson for the Martin family, said:

"For generations, my family has been proud to lead Arco and to help build the business it is today. We have always seen ourselves as custodians of the company, with a responsibility to protect and develop it for the generations that follow.

"We have received unsolicited approaches from potential buyers in the UK and internationally over many years. However, this was never simply about finding a buyer. It was about finding the right partner for Arco’s next chapter – one who shared our ambition for the business and our commitment to its people, customers and suppliers.

"Arco is a stronger business today as a result of the professionalisation of its strategy, governance, Board and Executive team. Having considered the options carefully, we believe H.I.G. is the right partner to support and guide the next phase of Arco’s development. I am confident that we are entrusting the business to good hands."

Building a Market-Leading Safety Business

Guy Bruce, Chief Executive Officer of Arco, said:

"Over the past three and a half years, we have transformed Arco, strengthened our operations and built a scalable platform capable of supporting significant future growth. We now have the infrastructure, talent and capabilities to support a substantially larger business.

"The decision to partner with H.I.G. reflects a strong alignment of both value and values. They bring significant investment capability, proven expertise in distribution and a track record of working alongside management teams to build businesses for the long term.

"The safety landscape is changing rapidly, and our customers consistently tell us that they need a reliable, capable and compliant partner to underpin their safety strategies and help them achieve their own business objectives. Arco’s expertise, supplier relationships and understanding of workplace safety have never been more relevant.

"With H.I.G.’s support, we have an opportunity to build on those strengths: to deepen our customer and supplier partnerships, broaden our proposition, invest in our capabilities and pursue opportunities that will extend our reach.

"We have an ambitious vision for Arco. It is about growing and evolving the business while retaining the expertise, values and customer focus that have made it successful for more than 140 years. H.I.G.’s experience and commitment to the sector make them an exciting partner for the next stage of that journey, and I am energised by what we can achieve together."

Shared Ambition

H.I.G. Capital is a leading global alternative investment firm with a strong track record of partnering with businesses to support sustainable growth, operational excellence and market expansion.

The newly constituted Board of Directors will be chaired by Meine Oldersma, who brings extensive experience with H.I.G., significant knowledge of Arco from his previous role as a Non-Executive Director, and a strong track record working with multi-million-pound distribution businesses.

Having worked with Guy Bruce previously and more recently at Arco, Meine’s appointment as Chairman also provides valuable continuity as Arco enters its next phase of development.

The Board will also include Adam Taylor and Elliott Robinson of H.I.G., who led the firm’s investment team on the transaction, alongside Guy Bruce as Chief Executive Officer and Dan Carr as Chief Financial Officer.

Under the leadership of Guy and his management team, Arco will continue its transformation, with the support and investment of H.I.G., while remaining firmly committed to setting the benchmark for safety, service and training excellence across the industries it serves.

Discarded high-visibility workwear and personal protective equipment (PPE) supplied by Arco has taken an unexpected journey from the workplace to the catwalk, after being transformed into striking fashion pieces showcased during London Fashion Week.

The garments were featured as part of Root Cause, a sustainability exhibition hosted by The Mills Fabrica in King's Cross. Around half of the catwalk designs incorporated innovative garments created from recovered industrial materials, demonstrating how products traditionally viewed as waste can be reimagined and given a new lease of life.

The collection was created by Exiled, the sustainable fashion and textile brand from Arco partner MYGroup. The exhibition brought together designers, researchers and industry partners to explore innovative approaches to textile waste and the future of sustainable materials.

Giving workwear a second life

The Root Cause exhibition included garments and installations made using recovered materials, including high-visibility workwear and PPE that had reached the end of its original working life.

Through innovative upcycling and textile recovery techniques, materials supplied by Arco were transformed into contemporary fashion pieces. Other designs incorporated recovered PPE into linings, insulation and other elements, demonstrating the versatility of materials that might otherwise have entered traditional waste streams.

The showcase provided a striking demonstration of what can be achieved when end-of-life products are considered as potential resources rather than simply waste.

It also highlighted wider research into textile recovery, including projects exploring how workwear and PPE can be reused, repurposed and ultimately recovered as valuable raw materials.

Supporting a more circular approach

The exhibition reflects Arco's ongoing commitment to finding more circular approaches to product development and sustainability.

One example is the Responsible Hi-Vis range, which was developed using certified recycled materials and designed with durability and recyclability in mind. The range was recognised with the Recycled Product of the Year Award at the 2023 MRW National Recycling Awards for its contribution to reducing waste within a traditionally challenging-to-recycle product category.

Arco was also shortlisted for Sustainable Business of the Year at the 2025 Edie Awards and in 2026 achieved EcoVadis Platinum status, placing the business among the top 1% of organisations assessed worldwide for sustainability performance.

Together, these initiatives demonstrate Arco's focus on considering the environmental impact of products throughout their lifecycle, from the materials used to make them through to what happens when they are no longer required.

Challenging perceptions of waste

Jim Harbidge, Head of Sustainability at Arco, said: "It was incredibly encouraging to see the conversation around textile waste reaching fresh audiences through a platform of such a scale as London Fashion Week.

"While fashion and workwear are often viewed as very different sectors, they face comparable sustainability challenges. The reality is that valuable materials are too often discarded before they have reached the end of their potential life, which is incredibly wasteful and unsustainable.

"At Arco, we've been striving to address that very challenge by taking a much more circular approach to our product design, considering not only how our products are made, but how they can be used for longer and crucially, what happens to them at the end of their life.

"The inclusion of recycled workwear materials within the Root Cause exhibition demonstrates a heartening shift in attitudes. Waste is not always waste. With innovative design, creativity, collaboration and well thought out recovery processes, materials can continue to deliver exceptional value beyond their original, intended purpose.

"As businesses across all sectors continue to look for meaningful, impactful ways to reduce their environmental impact, circularity will play an increasingly important role in helping to preserve resources, reduce waste and support more sustainable supply chains."

Rebecca O'Leary, Textiles Manager at Exile, said: "No one expects to find hi-vis workwear at London Fashion Week. That was rather the point. The material we recovered from Arco was shown as it arrived, alongside the pieces it became – visually striking in both forms.

"Hi-vis is among the hardest textiles to bring back, which is exactly why it is worth the effort – and why it sits at the centre of our ongoing fibre-to-fibre research.

"Root Cause was Exiled showing that the problem of textile waste and its answer sit closer together than anyone expects – that every material is made for more."

A future beyond traditional waste

By bringing end-of-life workwear and PPE into an entirely different environment, Root Cause challenged conventional ideas about what discarded materials can become.

For Arco, the showcase is another example of how collaboration and innovation can help move the industry towards more circular product lifecycles – finding opportunities to extend the value of materials while reducing waste and supporting more sustainable supply chains.

Discover more about Arco's approach to sustainability.

Our Voice of the Customer programme is helping us understand what matters most to customers and turn their feedback into practical service improvements.

At Arco, we want every customer interaction to feel straightforward, supportive and positive. That means listening carefully to what customers tell us, understanding their experiences and using that insight to improve the service we provide.

Our monthly Voice of the Customer survey is one of the key ways we do this. It gives customers who have ordered through our any of our channels the opportunity to share honest feedback about their experience with Arco.

The feedback we receive helps us identify what is working well, where customers are experiencing frustration and where we can make service easier, faster and more effective.

The survey focuses on three measures that reflect the quality of the customer experience:

• Customer Effort Score (CES): How easy it is to do business with us
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): How likely customers are to recommend us
• Right First Time (RFT): Whether requests are resolved successfully the first time customers contact us

Customers can also add comments, giving us valuable context behind their scores. These comments help us understand the detail behind each experience and focus our attention on the improvements that will make the biggest difference.

Turning feedback into action

Customer feedback is reviewed closely and shared across the business, helping teams understand the issues customers are raising and the changes needed to improve day-to-day service. This means insight is not simply collected; it is used to support practical action.

Where customers raise concerns or provide detailed feedback, we may contact them directly to better understand their experience and help resolve any ongoing issues. This gives customers a clearer voice and helps us respond in a more focused way.

We can also share customer-specific reporting to support service reviews and ongoing discussions. These reports can include survey results, areas of dissatisfaction and complaints insight, helping customers see where improvements are being made.

Service improvements customers can feel

Our latest results show that this approach is making a positive difference. In 2025/26, Arco achieved its seventh consecutive annual increase in both CES and NPS, representing a 55% improvement in customer perception since the survey began.

We are also seeing more positive customer comments, alongside a reduction in some of the common themes and frustrations that teams have worked hard to address. This gives us confidence that listening to feedback and acting on it is helping to improve the overall customer experience.

Continuing to raise the bar

While we are pleased with the progress being made, we know there is always more to do. For 2026/27, we have increased our NPS target by a further 6%, reflecting our ambition to make the entire Arco experience as easy and supportive as possible.

By continuing to listen, learn and act on customer feedback, we can keep improving the service we provide and make sure our customers remain at the heart of the decisions we make.

Make your voice heard

We'd love to hear from you! If you receive our Voice of the Customer survey link, please take a few moments to share your feedback, whether it's positive or negative. You can also leave us a review on Google or Trustpilot. Your feedback really helps us continue to improve!

We're delighted to have collaborated with key industry names to produce the best protective outerwear for Openreach engineers to date. The result: success at the Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide (PCIAW) Awards.

Protecting modern workforces

With 1,600 female engineers now employed by Openreach (which runs the UK's biggest telecommunications network), there was a need to develop suitable PPE, integrating the latest technical developments and innovations.

Meeting the demands of a diverse and inclusive workforce, we set out to redesign a female range of outdoor jackets and trousers that would be a good fit for women's frames, and ensure comfort, safety, and efficiency.

Engineer feedback was central to the project's success. By listening to the people who wear the garments every day, we ensured the final designs met real-world needs and expectations.

Strategically tailored for comfort

The jackets were tested throughout the design process to confirm they performed in real working conditions. Field trials then gave engineers the opportunity to test the garments and share feedback, allowing the team to refine the designs further.

The final design was produced in both a male and female range and each style was strategically tailored for differing needs and frames to ensure maximum comfort.

A positive impact

Final feedback from users has been excellent and further validated through external recognition. At the 2025 PCIAW Awards, our partnership won the Inclusive PPE Award, recognising the collaborative approach taken to design and deliver inclusive protective clothing.

Overall, our partnership with the GORE-TEX® Brand and Openreach has proven to be highly productive, effective, and successful. And at its heart, has always been worker safety and the desire to create greatly improved, fit-for-purpose products.

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Arco has partnered with the Respiratory Health All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to bring together policymakers, expert clinicians and respiratory health and safety specialists for a roundtable discussion on silicosis, an urgent and preventable workplace health crisis.

Silicosis is a serious and irreversible lung disease caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. Over time, the dust can cause inflammation and permanent scarring in the lungs. While late-stage silicosis is incurable, the disease is preventable through effective controls, including wet-cutting methods and the correct selection, use and maintenance of quality respiratory protective equipment (RPE). Learn more about silicosis and why awareness matters in our recent article.

Health and safety experts join forces

Ian Lavery MP, chair of the APPG for Occupational Health, opened the roundtable and thanked Arco for partnering with the Respiratory Health APPG. The discussion was moderated by Christian Halford, Arco's Technical Quality Director, who shared insight on the role respiratory equipment can play in helping to keep workers safe. Alex Turgoose, Arco's Product Manager for RPE, and Kevin Williams, Arco's Respiratory Health Lead, also contributed their specialist expertise throughout the discussion.

Dr Johanna Feary, a respiratory doctor specialising in occupational diseases at Royal Brompton Hospital, shared new data on the prevalence of silicosis, alongside her personal experience of treating people affected by the disease. The UK currently has 52 confirmed cases of silicosis, with many affected workers aged between their 20s and 40s, and deaths already reported in people as young as 28.

Highlighting challenges

A key challenge highlighted by Dr Feary is that early-stage silicosis is asymptomatic, meaning workers who wait for symptoms to appear may risk leaving it too late to access treatment. She also highlighted the risk of misdiagnosis during the early stages, noting that GPs need more support and training to recognise occupational diseases earlier.

Dr Feary called for a national screening programme for stonecutters in the UK, better education for healthcare professionals to raise awareness of the symptoms and risks of silicosis, and improved coordination across the NHS to help people at risk of silicosis access specialist care sooner.

Professor Kevin Bampton, CEO of the British Occupational Hygiene Society, also highlighted the need for better training for doctors in occupational diseases and the current lack of health surveillance across the UK. He pointed to a disconnect between how the NHS treats diseases such as cancer and how it responds to occupational diseases such as silicosis, which he said must be addressed.

Key focus areas

Several roundtable members, including Ian Lavery MP, expressed support for recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance for stonecutters, which banned dry-cutting of stone and mandated the use of water suppression. Mike Calcutt, representing the HSE, said the regulator is consulting with industry on reintroducing silicosis to RIDDOR, a move strongly supported by members of the roundtable.

Participants agreed that the key focus areas should be making silicosis a notifiable disease through RIDDOR, strengthening occupational health integration in the NHS so people at risk can access specialist care, and improving training, education and early detection.

Hugh McKinney, Policy Advisor to the APPG for Respiratory Health, closed the meeting by confirming he would write to attendees to gather their views on the key issues and share a report outlining what needs to happen next.

Roundtable attendees included Liz Twist MP, Lord John Hendy, Baroness Rita Donaghy, Dr Johanna Feary, Professor Kevin Bampton, Hugh McKinney of the Respiratory Health APPG, Mike Calcutt of the HSE, Alan Murray of the British Safety Industry Federation, Alex Turgoose of Arco, Kevin Williams of Arco, Gemma Murray of Arco, Matt Powell-Howard of NEBOSH, Daniel Zeff of the Federation of Master Builders, Emily Agyeman of the National Federation of Builders, Joe Duggan of the i newspaper and Huna Haq of the TUC.

Expert advice on respiratory protection

For further information and expert advice, read our introduction to respiratory protection, learn more about the risks of silica dust and see our guide to managing hazardous airborne substances.

It's time to put the champagne on ice, as our TROJAN workwear brand becomes the official title sponsor of Hull Seahawks ice hockey club in a major new multi-year agreement.

The partnership marks a significant milestone for both the club and the TROJAN brand, with the team set to compete as the TROJAN Hull Seahawks across competitions, club channels and supporter-facing communications.

For TROJAN, the move reflects a natural alignment with a club built on determination, teamwork and resilience. Created for people who take pride in demanding work, TROJAN shares the same hardworking spirit that Hull Seahawks bring to the ice.

As guardians of the TROJAN brand, we see this partnership as an opportunity to invest in a growing professional sports club with deep roots in the local community. The sponsorship will strengthen TROJAN's presence with fans through gameday visibility, club communications and wider community activity.

TROJAN branding will be introduced across key club assets, including playing shirts, arena signage, digital platforms and community initiatives, supporting the Seahawks as they enter the next stage of their development.

Pride in our community

Gemma Murray, Head of Brand for TROJAN Workwear added:

"Partnering with the Hull Seahawks is an incredibly exciting opportunity for us. The club has built a passionate fanbase and a strong identity within the city and beyond and we are proud to become part of that journey.

"We believe this partnership will help elevate both brands over the coming years and we look forward to supporting the club, its fans and the wider community as the TROJAN Hull Seahawks."

A huge moment for the club

Hull Seahawks Commercial Manager, Callum Gladding said:

"We are absolutely delighted to welcome TROJAN Workwear as our new Official Title Sponsor. This is a huge moment for the club and a partnership that reflects the ambition both organisations share for the future."

"TROJAN Workwear is a nationwide brand that understands the values of commitment, resilience and community across the UK. We are excited to begin this journey together as the Trojan Hull Seahawks from the 2026/27 season onwards."

"We're excited for the new season to get underway and look forward to supporting the TROJAN Hull Seahawks as they build towards success on and off the ice."

Learn more about the TROJAN workwear range.

We're delighted to have achieved a Platinum rating from EcoVadis for the first time, placing us in the top 1% of organisations assessed worldwide for sustainability performance.

Building on our EcoVadis Gold rating, awarded in 2025, we set ourselves an ambitious goal: to attain a Platinum rating in 2026. Through hard work and dedication across our business, this is exactly what we have done, achieving EcoVadis' highest level of recognition.

EcoVadis is a globally recognised sustainability ratings provider, assessing organisations on how well sustainability is embedded into business practices and supply chains. And, with this result, Arco is now ranked in the top 1% of all companies assessed by EcoVadis worldwide.

For our customers and partners, the Platinum rating provides independent assurance that we are actively managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and strengthening ethical, sustainable practices across our operations.

What EcoVadis assesses

EcoVadis evaluates organisations across four areas:

• Environment
• Labour & Human Rights
• Ethics
• Sustainable Procurement

Platinum status is awarded only where organisations can evidence robust policies, actions and results – demonstrating that sustainability is embedded across operations, governance and the supply chain.

This milestone reinforces our commitment to responsible business and supports customers who need trusted partners able to meet evolving sustainability requirements.

How we achieved EcoVadis Platinum rating

In the latest EcoVadis assessment, we increased our overall score by 10%, achieving near-perfect results for Environment and improving by 23% in Labour & Human Rights.

Key areas of progress include:

• Enhanced colleague benefits, including the introduction of a health cash plan
• Greater colleague engagement and consultation
• Continued focus on listening to and acting on what matters most to our people

In Sustainable Procurement, Arco has built on its ethical foundations by engaging suppliers more deeply through newer product ranges and increased supply chain transparency, including:

• Sustainable raw material sourcing
• Risks related to conflict minerals
• Deforestation

These steps support customers – particularly in construction and the public sector — where supply chain visibility is essential and help us work alongside organisations tackling their own sustainability targets.

EcoVadis also highlighted our approach to governance, including:

• Data stewardship and cyber security
• Anti-bribery measures
• Whistleblowing processes

An important milestone

Jim Harbidge, Head of Sustainability at Arco, said: "Achieving EcoVadis Platinum is an important milestone and a strong, independent endorsement of the progress we're making. We'll continue to focus on meaningful action, transparency and long-term impact for our customers, our colleagues and the wider communities we serve."

As a safety partner, Arco remains committed to helping customers protect people at work while supporting more sustainable choices across products, services and supply chains. Why not learn more about our approach to sustainability?