Our Company

Founder : Herbert Jenkins - 2nd generation : Brian & Susan Jenkins - 3rd Generation: Ian & Melanie Jenkins - 4th Generation: Sam & Katie Jenkins

Herbert 'Bert' Jenkins served in the RAF in India and Burma during World War II and returned and worked as a sewing machine mechanic in the 1940's and 1950's, He started and built up a well respected business in Portsmouth, UK, servicing the local factories which were mainly making garments and corsets.

His 1st shop in Copnor Road, Portsmouth was followed later by shops in Albert Road and Kingston Road in Portsmouth - now also selling home and industrial sewing machines.

Brian Jenkins, Herbert's son, continued the business in Portsmouth, serving the local factories who made garments.

His son Ian Jenkins joined the business straight from college after completing a business course - his passion was in the family business where he had spent his teenage summers and weekends working with his father and mother Susan Jenkins.

In the 1990s Ian began his cooperation with Jentschmann AG, Switzerland where he trained for a few months. Jentschmann was already making long arm machines and together with Ian they designed some new equipment that would make sail sewing much easier. On Mr Jentschmann's retirement, Solent Sewing Machines bought Jentschmann's long arm business and started to produce the long arm machines in Portsmouth, UK. 

Embracing new technologies, Melanie built our first website in the 1990s, allowing us to spread the word about our special machines for industry.

Our motto is innovation not imitation - Always looking forward to what the sailmaker and other specialist industries will need next. 

Solent is not restricted to selling sailmaking machinery - we pride ourselves on selling quality machinery and products. We already have a range of machines for producing filters / ducting, covers, upholstery and other heavy products made with technical textiles. 

In 2004 we were approached by Miller Weldmaster Corp. who offer a range of welding machines for joining industrial fabrics. These are varied - sign & banner makers, tarpaulins, geo membranes, filter tubes and ducting and many more. Not only do Miller Weldmaster have a standard range of equipment but they also build very custom options which have helped many companies improve productivity & quality while saving time and money. 

We were very proud to be made a UK distributor for Durkopp Adler industrial sewing machines, one of the best brands on the market today - always improving their range and making long lasting, reliable machines.

While working with sign companies using the Miller Weldmaster fabric welders, we discovered that the sign industry needed sewing machinery for unskilled operators that wasn't available. We designed new sewing systems the Solent Texsew Pro and this has become one of our most popular machines.

Looking to the future, the 4th generation have now joined the business, Sam Jenkins in engineering, working with Ian on new innovations and Katie working with Melanie in international sales and marketing.

The future is looking bright with new technology, made only by Solent and a team that are here for you. Contact us with your sewing / welding problems we innovate to provide solutions.

New shop opened at Port Solent 2021