Decorator Profile Growing the (business) family
Business acquisitions for a family company seem to be counterintuitive; after all, why bring in influence from outside? But for Wild Thang, it has used acquisitions to its strength instead of using its business values as a catalyst for more growth and integrating new businesses within it. Having recently acquired Partridge Peartree, acting editor, Benjamin Austine spoke with operations director Chris Dwerryhouse to find out more.
Having started simple, it has grown to be quite the force, gaining business from across borders and employing around 65 people; some of whom are related to the Dwerryhouses.
Andrew’s entrepreneurial spirit to start the business was also a family trait. His father owned his own company in the hydraulic engineering business. He even helped Andrew grow Wild Thang by renting out the top floor of his building to set up shop.
(Far left) Chris Dwerryhouse next to brother Andrew A
lot of companies have their start as a family endeavour, either using the house
name or by employing relatives. By doing so, it gives a special relationship to all involved. Not just the owners but the customers who feel better served by a family team. But what these companies gain in one frame may be a hindrance in others, namely acquisitional growth. Of course, these companies have every right to take over or build through strong acquisitions, but they may do so at the risk of the family values on which they built their foundations.
It is a balancing act, but one Liverpool garment decorator, Wild Thang, has seemingly managed to play as it has just completed its third acquisition since its inception.
A modest beginning Founded in 1996 by Andrew Dwerryhouse, the company’s origins were remarkably humble.
Starting with a focus on traditional screen printing methods, in those early days, the operation relied on grit and a small Prince’s Trust loan rather than
| 18 | July 2026
Vastex V2000HD six-colour/ six-station manual press
large capital injections.
Operations director and brother to the founder, Chris Dwerryhouse, said: “The company started very modestly in screen print, textile screen print decoration. Over the years it developed into other areas like embroidery, early days transfers, and eventually DTG and now also later down the line other elements like object UV printing.”
Chris explained: “Our family has always been in business. My dad had his own business, and that basically was an early-stage influence on all of us really.” The only thing perhaps not
family-related was the company’s name. “The name came from the song,” Chris explained. “It was more of a marketing tool than a functional title. The idea was that it was a name that we wouldn’t be forgotten.
“There was a trend at that time for names that weren’t really associated with the business that you did. Most company names in this area were very conventional names like it would be the name of the person who started
Printing in progress at Wild Thang’s Liverpool facility
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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