Full circle return to Ashburton Lodge, Sudbury Silk Mills. As the millennium turned, the planned restoration of Osborne House meant the firm had its greatest challenge to face. The Amber Room at Osborne House required a most complex design damask on an extra wide harness requiring a treble Jacquard head on the loom. Although the business had the machine and equipment it would require Richard’s skills to rebuild the Jacquards, harness and loom before re-drafting and cutting the Jacquard cards to make the design. The whole project took over two years to complete which culminated in Richard meeting the Queen at the re-opening of the house. 

With the growing success of the reputation of the firm the company now needed to move forward and seek investment for machinery upgrades. The looms would need replacements and new staff training would challenge the quest for modernisation. In 2004 a major decision taken was to move back to their original premises at Sudbury in Suffolk. Here was the opportunity to upgrade the firm’s weaving ability at Sudbury Silk Mills and invest in more efficient weaving. The looms were soon making new wall coverings for Windsor Castle and the National Trust, adapting the technology and innovating techniques to deliver expert fabrics. The “special, unusual and unique” were all taken on in making the Humphries brand synonymous with quality and attention to detail. The weaving floor today runs over 40 high speed rapier looms, as well as retaining onsite dyeworks and finishing capabilities. 

As business grew further, Richard expanded his sales and design team for the first time to began passing on his skills and expertise to the next generation of account managers. This move away from wholesale/agent representation in London and the US suited the bespoke nature of the projects that Humphries are renowned for and allowed them to give the care and support to their customers.