News broke this week that Charles Owen will cease production of its iconic riding helmets at the company’s award-winning UK facility in Wrexham, North Wales, next month.
The news broke on Wednesday (12 November) when an internal communication from CEO Dave Derby that was sent to retailers was shared on social media.
Today (Friday 14 November), Charles Owen issued a public statement to confirm that the information circulating is correct and that production will end on Friday 19 December.
A spokesperson told Your Horse that the internal communication was “unknowingly shared with the public before we had planned to share it with our end users”.
The statement said: “It is with deep regret that I must share the extremely difficult decision to cease UK production of Charles Owen products as of next month.”
It explained that the lease on Charles Owen’s North Wales premises has expired and the company has “exhausted every option” for finding alternate premises.
“Those who have visited our facility will understand the complexity involved in producing our helmets — the volume of equipment and machinery is significant,” said Mr Derby.
“Decommissioning, dismantling, relocating, and recommissioning this operation is a major logistical challenge. While we do have several potential new locations under consideration it will not be possible to maintain production.”
Halt in manufacturing
The cut-off date for new orders was Friday 14 November 2025.
Charles Owen told retailers that the company will circulate a full list of stock to assist the placing of orders, with stock allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Head of product and brand development, Jade Faulkner, told Your Horse: “While this change affects our UK manufacturing, our commitment to rider safety remains paramount.
“We are fully dedicated to our future plans, including the continued development of our upcoming products mentioned in the announcement, along with all current outsourced product lines, which are completely unaffected.”
The outsourced products that remain in production include the Kylo, Phoenix, Kontor, Shadow, Eclipse, as well as all accessories.
Charles Owen has been manufacturing helmets since 1911.
The company, which has remained in the same family for four generations, reassured retailers that it “remains on track” to launch new products in 2026, including the Hyda helmet and Hexa body protector.
Charles Owen asked for “patience and understanding while we navigate this unique and unfortunate situation”.
Main image © Charles Owen
