Small, but essential

In the early 1970s, leading representatives of European surgical dressing manufacturers sensed the trend of what was later on called “globalisation”: the trend to shift production in so-called “low-cost countries”. They felt that they only together could gain the strength to create awareness for this topic and to encourage politicians to provide for an environment in which the classical textile manufacturing technologies could survive in Europe. Driving forces were namely the companies from the United Kingdom and Germany.

In November 1974, representatives of 21 companies from 8 European countries, most of them entrepreneurs or CEOs of their companies, met in Amsterdam to launch Europe’s first professional organisation for this part of the industry: ESDREMA. Given the background of this meeting, it was not a surprise that the first Chairperson of the Association came from the United Kingdom: R. B. Robinson, owner of Robinson & Sons, nowadays part of the Robinson Group based in Chesterfield. And the character of ESDREMA is more like an English style “club” rather than a typical industry association.

In the last almost four decades, chairpersons from 11 countries have shown the true international spirit of the association which is also kept until today. Most company representatives shape the work of ESDREMA over 10+ years which helped to at least partly conserve the “club”-like character.