Staff at Sheffield scissor firm vow to clear backlog after boss dies

Staff at a Sheffield scissor company whose boss died suddenly have vowed to clear a backlog of orders.
Nick Wright at Ernest Wright & Sons, Broad Lane, Sheffield.Nick Wright at Ernest Wright & Sons, Broad Lane, Sheffield.
Nick Wright at Ernest Wright & Sons, Broad Lane, Sheffield.

Workers at Ernest Wright & Son are running a stock check to understand the firm’s position following the shock death of managing director Nick Wright.

Although there may be some delay, they intend to “fulfil all promises,” they say.

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Mr Wright, aged 48, was found dead at his Kelham Island home. A cause of death has not been released.

The company was inundated with orders after a crowdfunding campaign in late 2016 to bring back its old Kutrite range of scissors.

It raised £240,000 from orders for 5,541 pairs, more than quadruple its £60,000 target.

Accountant and friend Fiona Lampitt, of FML Accounting, said the project hit a 15-month delay in trying to get the right blanks.

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Ernest Wright turns them into scissors at its base on Broad Lane. Every process is carried out by hand.

She said: “It is business as usual. One thing Nick would have wanted was to take this thing to fruition. The stock taking may delay us a touch but we are going at it as fast as we can.

“We are obliged to meet all the orders. It did give us all sleepless nights, it was a lot to deal with.”

Mr Wright would respond to customer requests for updates on the firm’s website.

In his last public posting in October 2017 he apologised for delays and said the firm hoped to produce 308 pairs of scissors a month, up from 180.