Cleckheaton life-saving equipment manufacturer celebrates 70th year

Ferno, based on Stubs Beck Lane, has been providing patient-handling devices to emergency services across the UK, and over 140 countries around the world, since 1955.

With its global head office in Ohio, US, the Ferno UK site has 50 team members who are responsible for the manufacture and sale of products including ambulance stretchers, emergency chairs, and search and rescue devices.

Jon Ellis, managing director (European region), said: “It’s been an honour to work for Ferno for over 30 years, and in that time myself and the team have experienced and innovated through so many changes within the way emergency medicine is delivered both for patients here in the UK but in so many of the countries Ferno supports.

“We’re extremely committed to working hard for the frontline heroes such as paramedics, who do an incredible job every day to save lives and keep more patients and their families together.

“We’ll never give up trying to make life better for them, and with our ground-breaking new products designed to reduce physical strain on paramedics, Ferno continues to help extend the careers of the heroes out there in the field.”

Ferno was recently visited by Spen Valley MP Kim Leadbeater, who said: “It really was an eye-opening experience seeing yet more amazing, behind-the-scenes work done by incredible businesses in this area.

“During my visit I met a number of the team and saw Ferno’s careful manufacturing up close, and it’s a real inspiration to see how they’ve improved the way ambulances and emergency services operate all around the world.

“World firsts have been – and continue to be – set right here in West Yorkshire.”

With over 4,000 customers in over 140 countries around the world, Ferno experienced a record year in 2025 thanks to some incredible global innovations, and expects to continue growing the team at its UK office in Cleckheaton to keep up with the future demands.