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www.ie-today.co.uk
SCHOOL LIFE | SCHOOL UNIFORMS | 25 Read a related story: click here
AFFAIRS OF THE SMART
From a rugby kit incorporating the latest technology to an old school choosing a new supplier, Simon Fry looks at what’s new in the world of school uniforms
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN the school uniform sector include a merger prompting the creation of new sportswear, one supplier picking up several high-profile clients and another enjoying a successful first year. Sports coaches focusing on their team
leading on the field can trust Stevensons to take care of kit provision off the field. Offering a range of quality school sportswear and top-notch service, with Stevensons as your uniform and sportswear partner, you don’t need to worry about stock arriving late for a fixture because they hold heavy stock all year round. This means whatever your school needs it will always be available at short notice. Turnaround for their XXV range is
typically just four weeks from sign-off of an agreed design. However, speed does not come at the expense of product quality and all garments are made in Europe to exacting standards. Stevensons’ XXV sportswear employs the latest technical fabrics with features such as wicking, breathable and easy-care properties to help your teams perform to their full potential. Stevensons recently came to the rescue
of leading independent school Mount Kelly when it merged with a local prep school and urgently needed a complete overhaul of all its sportswear, from prep to senior school. The company proposed an exciting design complementing the school’s new branding and assigned a dedicated account manager to work closely with the school to make the whole process hassle-free. The school was so impressed by the quality of service experienced with its core kit that it later commissioned Stevensons to redesign the kit for its rugby, hockey, netball and swimming teams.
“It is clear schools are looking for two things: innovation in garment design and quality and also measured and deliverable performance”
Schoolblazer: garment & service innovation Schoolblazer is continuing to see its
unique approach to garment innovation combined with service innovation bearing fruit. The company has picked up a number of new schools this year, including Leicester Grammar, Gresham’s and City of London Girls, and it is clear schools are looking for two things: real innovation in garment design and quality and also measured and deliverable performance. Schoolblazer’s commitment to garment
quality and innovation are well known. However, its ongoing investment in warehousing and IT enables the company to achieve 99.6 percent of items in stock at Back to School (against an industry average of under 90 percent) and customer satisfaction levels of over 95 percent In a world of higher and higher
Newplan Solutions: working in partnership
customer expectations, schools are no longer willing to accept poor service from their traditional suppliers and are demanding more. The emergence of Newplan Solutions
has been phoenix-like, according to MD Martin Heatlie. “Creative tension is where ‘discord ultimately gives rise to beter ideas or outcomes’. When John Cheatle entered administration there were uncomfortable levels of creative tension ruminating around the business. From the ashes, Newplan Solutions was formed – a new company founded in April 2014 having to re-establish itself with suppliers and with only three months to prepare for back to school.” The company’s report, 12 months later,
makes for encouraging reading: “Almost one year on we appear to have exceeded my expectations, retaining more than 95 percent of our schools, atracting a number of new schools, bringing embroidery in-house and starting to supply work wear, leavers’ hoodies, team kit and corporate wear to existing and new clients. The outcome of this will be a beter, more stable company working in partnership with our customers.” Despite being one third the size of
Stevensons: quality sportswear
its predecessor, Newplan Solutions generates more cash; Martin expects a moderate operating profit in its first 12 months’ trading and predicts exciting times ahead. “We are looking forward to a future where we can forge strong partnerships with schools and continue to deliver consistently great uniform, year-on-year and I am also looking forward to announcing some genuine innovations in schoolwear to our customers over the next 12 months.” iE Stevensons W:
www.stevensons.co.uk Schoolblazer W:
www.schoolblazer.com Newplan Solutions W:
www.newplansolutions.co.uk
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