Catalogue description Records of the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation Ltd and of Remploy Ltd

On 7 April 1945 the Disabled Persons' Employment Corporation Ltd was set up under the provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 by the Minister of Labour. In July 1946 Remploy was adopted as its name and, in July 1949, Remploy Ltd. It is a non-profit-making Company designed to provide sheltered employment for workers who are severely disabled.

A number of factories have been established by the Company for this purpose which produce goods for the open market. Some Government departments and local authorities give the Company a share of their orders for relevant articles at commercial rates. Certain Remploy factories ran schemes for severely handicapped people unable to leave their homes. Financial support is provided according to an agreement made between the Company and the Minister of Labour and National Service in November 1946. Money is voted to the Company and secured by a debenture in favour of the Treasury Solicitor. The original agreement was supplemented at regular intervals to keep pace with inflation and the debenture was amended by further charges until 1992 when a new Main Agreement and a new Debenture were agreed. There was a further renewal of both in 1996.

The Company commenced operating from offices in Buckingham Gate, London from where it moved to a purpose built office at Staples Corner on the Edgware Road as tenants of The Minister of Works. Before 1972 the factories were organised into five product groups concerned with Furniture and Allied Products, Packaging and Bookbinding, Metal Products and Engineering, Leather and Allied Products, and Knitwear. Following reorganisation in 1972, three trading groups were created: Furniture, Leather and Textile Products, and Packaging and Assembly. In April 1974, Industrial Advisors to the Blind Ltd, which was established in 1964 by the Minister of Labour, was merged with Remploy to form the latter's Blind Advisory Services Group.

Further reorganisation took place in 1986 when the Blind Advisory Services Group was moved out of Remploy as SEPACS and the three remaining groups became 13 Divisions covering: Creative Products & Design, Textile Sewing, Knitwear, Medical Products, Wheelchair, Contract Wood, Bedding, Lundia, Metal Furniture, Packaging & Assembly (3 Regions) and Bookbinding. In 1989 the Packaging/Filling and Manufacturing Services Divisions were created from the 3 Regions on a P&A Division business basis rather than on a regional basis. From 1989-1994 Remploy purchased several companies blending their businesses into existing structures. In 1991 the Direct Training Division was established.

In 1989, in line with Government's moves towards integration of employees with disabilities into fit industry, Remploy Interwork was established to provide training and development for all people with disabilities. Interwork provides all the support necessary to both the individual and the employer to ensure successful integration into employment.

In 1993 another re-naming took place as the Divisions became businesses within 6 Groups: Creative Product & Design, Textile, Healthcare, Furniture, Packaging and Manufacturing Services. The Millennium saw another major re-shuffle into Contract Business Units (CBUs) on a regionalised basis and Strategic Business Units (SBUs) in business oriented groups both of which link with Remploy Interwork whose remit is to develop, train and support disabled individuals both internally and externally. In 2001 Remploy moved their Head Office to Coventry after 41 years in London.