p40,41 Lea sports:Layout 1 16/07/2009 11:44 Page 40
COMPANY PROFILE
Satisfaction guaranteed
Debbie Eales meets Nicci Persey, director of Exeter-based Lea Sportswear – the name behind
leading brands such as Front Row and Tombo – and discovers a company that really does listen to
what the customer wants
W
ith a portfolio of top drawer brands is the new Tombo teamwear range full zip tracksuit them?” Nicci continues.
distributed in the UK through PenCarrie, bottom. “Three years in a row at the Printwear & “We do a lot of sampling. The best way to get
Ralawise and Prestige, Lea Sportswear has Promotion Show, customers were saying there was people to become ambassadors of the product is to
more than established itself in the quality, style and not a full zip tracksuit bottom on the market. We get them to wear it. It’s very targeted.”
performance stakes. launched one last year and it is going down very A knack for identifying a gap in the market was
Preferring to sell through distributors – including well,” adds Nicci. responsible for the start of the company 20 years
eight in Europe – the company, which “A lot of it is about listening to your customers. ago.
manufactures overseas, is, by definition, once There was no other full zip tracksuit bottom on the “At that time, there was a gap in the market for a
removed from its end customers, the decorators. market. rugby shirt,” says Nicci.
But a new sales strategy, which has put a “We spend a lot of time looking at what “If you think of the industry then, there were very
representative out on the road, is actively engaging decorators are doing and also doing our own few brands and there was very little choice. There
customers in helping to develop and become product research with wasn’t a rugby shirt in the promotional market.”
ambassadors for the brands, which include Front our customers. When Since then, the FR1 has become the industry’s
Row, Tombo, Okarma, Tour Collection and Mumbles we are out on the favourite and the most recognised rugby shirt in
teddies. road now we ask the UK.
“Decorators are absolutely key,” director, Nicci customers what Today, the FR1 is the cornerstone of the premium
Persey told me. “Distributors do a fantastic job of they need. Front Row brand.
doing the whole offering. But it’s down to us to What are “We used to make the FR1 in our own factory for
give the garment decorators all the information so their many years alongside other products that we
that they can really understand the product. customers introduced to the range,” continues Nicci. “The
“We never used to have anyone out on the road, asking factory closed about five years ago and all
but the more we go out in front of the garment manufacturing is now offshore. We import from
decorators, the more beneficial it is. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and China, depending
“We showcase all of our new products and on the brand.”
obviously Printwear & Promotion, the trade show, “Our heritage brand, Front Row, is predominantly
does that very well, but you don’t reach the leisure wear, both male and female.
whole industry. “It started life as the FR1 and now, as well as a
“Dion can now sit down with customers and whole range of rugby shirts, it’s quite a big
take them through all the new ranges, sailing brand, with a lot of drill shirts and a
ascertaining beforehand what kind of sailing jacket.
business they are in, so that he “We do some really good heavy duty workwear
has lots of other suitable products, fleeces; some fantastic lightweight ladies stretch
and can talk about the technical fleeces, drill tops for boys and adults and we’re
benefits.” the only brand in the UK offering denim shirts.”
Brochures do a very good job, says A new collection, FRC, has also been added to
Nicci. “But off the page it’s very the Front Row range. “It’s our new Super Soft
hard to understand a garment. range, which was launched last year and has gone
So it’s important to get those down really well,” says Nicci.
products in front of the “We have extended that into a patch rugby shirt
customer so that they can this year – perfect for decoration – and we do a
touch and feel.” very nice sailing jacket, as well, and fleeces.
As a “holding “It’s contemporary, classic styling. Front Row is
company”, Nicci says synonymous with being high quality, with very high
few end users would detailing and finishing and the shelf life of the
know the Lea products is very long. Customers want clothes that
Sportswear perform day after day.”
name. “But Nicci is keen to emphasise the premium nature of
they do know the products. “We are not operating in the £1 T
Front Row, shirt arena. Fabric is so important in terms of its
they know technical ability, in terms of its feel, its wash and its
Tombo, they know Mumbles and Okarma – so handle,” she says.
when Dion is going out on the road, he’s not “If you were to put us with our class in the High
there as Lea Sportswear, he’s there as a brand, Street, you would be talking about Crew Clothing
because that’s what customers obviously have an – it’s the middle to upper end where the clothes
affinity with – the product.” are stylish but very practical, functional and will
That interaction with the end user also aids not be out of fashion in a year or two years.”
product development, Nicci believes. An example The second headline brand is Tombo –
| 40 | August 2009 www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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