Who are they?
Founded in 1981 as Moorhouse Engineering in Bethesda, soon to become DMM, the company celebrated 35 years of manufacturing in 2016. In 1981 the company employed just 4 people, and now 35+ years later they are an important employer in the area with just over 150 men and women on payroll.
Inset: The founding Directors (L to R): Denny Moorhouse, Richard Cuthbertson, Paul Simkiss and Fred Hall.
The original premise of the founding Directors was to make the best possible equipment at the best price. A simple premise you might think, but one that has remained central to DMM’s thinking over the intervening years, and one that has spurred the company on to continue to develop and innovate, to bring unique and world-leading products to the market.
What are DMM best known for?
From the very outset, the company has developed products in two main areas; Recreational Climbing and Mountaineering has developed alongside products aimed more at the more Industrial markets. Both areas compliment each other and the areas of overlap benefit both sides. In short, both sides of the business are important to sustain the brand’s future.
Innovation is key to development, and DMM has continually invested not just in the fabric of the Factory, in plant, machinery, tooling etc but also in ambitious product development plans which can be very costly. They recognise that it’s not sufficient to stand still and copy, the field must be lead in specialist areas and over the years DMM has done just that. A well trained and loyal workforce makes your gear, amassing in the process a wealth of knowledge over the years which stands DMM in good stead as one of the world’s leading climbing brands.
Where are DMM products made?
DMM have a large factory site located in Llanberis, Wales, where they have a purpose-built assembly area and also a CNC machining area. This was a considerable investment for the company, but as with all their other efforts, it upgraded efficiency, competitive production and maintain DMM’s unique position as the sole manufacturer of climbing hardware in the UK.
Factory Tour
Periodically, DMM opens its factory doors to let people come along and see for themselves, the expertise and care that goes into making some of the finest hardware in the world. Keep an eye out for details of our next Factory Tour Open Day but in the meantime, this video will give you a good insight into the craftsmanship and story behind the products.
