Industry News
Rowlinson Knitwear purchases new premises to support expansion
S package from HSBC.
choolwear manufacturer Rowlinson Knitwear has purchased a new premises in Stockport with support from a multi-million funding
After years of strong growth and rising demand for its products, Rowlinson has outgrown its current twin premises. The new 76,000sq ft property is located at Discovery Park in Stockport and was purchased for a seven-figure sum. Rowlinson intends on completing significant refurbishments to the premises, including installing new site security and modifications to its layout. The significant investment in the property will allow the firm to expand its logistics capabilities, particularly during peak times, as well as providing improved working areas for its 50 staff.
Donald Moore, managing director of Rowlinson Knitwear, said: “As our company has grown massively in the last two years, we faced multiple obstacles to growth with our previous two site setup. Not only was the small size of the sites restricting our ability to increase our stock but it was also inefficient as our staff were split between the two. Our new premises will solve these challenges and forms a strong foundation in which we can continue to win market share and provide a great place to work for our staff.”
Rowlinson's new premises
Jason Trigg, HSBCʼs area director for Manchester, said: “We have a long term relationship with the business after we supported it in becoming majority employee owned in 2015. We are therefore delighted to be part of Rowlinson Knitwearʼs relocation to new and improved premises. We look forward to seeing the business grow and our continued support demonstrates our appetite to back local businesses in Stockport and beyond.”
Rowlinson will move into the new premises on December 4.
Directa Plus to supply G+ graphene workwear to Alfredo Grassi
D
irecta Plus has signed its first contract to supply high performance technical textiles with Graphene Plus to Alfredo Grassi. This follows the company signing a joint developer agreement with Alfredo Grassi to assess the potential benefits that can be delivered by incorporating Directa Plusʼ graphene into the companyʼs extensive range of workwear products.
Under this JDA, the company has been working closely with Alfredo Grassi to produce an initial range of workwear clothing that Alfredo Grassi presented to tender for a contract with a national company. This was successful and is expected to generate revenues of €0.6m for Directa Plus over the next 18 months. Giulio Cesareo, chief executive
officer of Directa Plus, said: “The workwear market represents a major opportunity for G+ and we are pleased to have secured our first order with Alfredo Grassi. Our partnership is deepening and we look forward to working together to develop and market new product lines, based on our shared commitment to quality, innovation and environmental- sustainability, and to bringing them to the market.”
Roberto Grassi, CEO of Alfredo Grassi, added: “As a company who continually look for innovative materials, while paying attention to
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
The true cost of cheap uniform
T
he chairman of the Schoolwear Association, David Burgess, is calling on MPs, parents and schools to consider the true cost of cheap uniform.
High-visibility jacket with G+ lining
environmental sustainability, we have found an ideal partner in Directa Plus. “Together, we will seek to improve the level of comfort and protection offered by our products through the use of innovative fabrics made using graphene, and I am sure that we will continue to work on further projects together both in the workwear and the public administration sectors.”
In a letter to the Daily Mail, Mr Burgess thanked reporters of a special report for highlighting that women in Bangladesh are being paid poverty wages to make bargain basement school clothing for some of Britainʼs biggest supermarkets. (Mail Online September 17, 2017). He said: “We hope the Labour MP Sarah Jones has read your investigation. Last week, she said it was ʻincredibly frustratingʼ for parents to see supermarkets offering very low prices when schools required items to be bought from school uniform specialists. “We remind schools, parents and the MP that members of the Schoolwear Association sign up to a Code of Conduct that requires them to source clothing ethically. “A well balanced good quality uniform, looks better and lasts longer than off-the-shelf clothing. It helps to bring improved learning, better behaviour and greater safety. It reduces peer pressure at a time when teachers are seeing growing mental health issues in class. And it does not come with the sinister hidden price tag of exploitation.”
Perhaps the most shocking revelation in the report was that mothers working in atrocious conditions to make the uniform that can be bought for less than a cup of coffee cannot afford to send their own children to school. Mr Burgess concluded: “When it comes to paying a fair price for uniform, we passionately believe every child – whether in Britain or Bangladesh – is worth it.”
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