SCHOOLS out for summer but the hard work is just beginning for one Scottish company who is working round-the-clock to prepare for pupils and parents for school when it starts again in August.
Border Embroideries Ltd which owns Trutex shops in Glasgow, Wishaw and Falkirk, typically see 8,000 customers go through its doors during the summer holidays.
Last summer, they fulfilled orders for 10,000 pairs of trousers, 5,000 blazers, and supplied 400 schools with 130,000 embroidered polo shirts and sweatshirts.
Says a spokesperson: The company was founded in 1989 by Scots entrepreneur Billy Smillie, thanks to funding from the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT). Originally from Greenlaw in Berwickshire, Mr Smillie wanted to establish a business in his home town providing high-quality embroidery services. Twenty years on, it has become one of the largest clothing embroidery companies – if not the largest – in the UK, with a turnover of £2.4million.
“The company employs 60 staff including Mr Smillie’s wife, Shirley-Anne, daughter Aynsley, and son William. His youngest son, Ross, has recently completed his Standard Grades and he helps out whenever he can during the school holidays.”
With the majority of schools breaking up this week for the summer holidays, Mr Smillie said: “This is traditionally our busiest time.
“A lot of parents like to place their order for school uniforms before they go on holiday so they can relax over the summer knowing it is well in hand.
“For us, it means the embroidery machines are working round the clock. We always get those of course who leave things to the last minute but we always do our best to make sure when the first day of school arrives, everyone is kitted out appropriately.”
Border Embroideries Ltd also supplies hotels, pubs, garden centres, fitness centres and sports clubs, and various other businesses with embroidered corporate-wear and sportswear.
“We recently invested over £30,000 in state of the art embroidery machines for each of our three shops,” added Mr Smillie.
“This allows each shop to embroider a whole range of products in-house such as baseball caps, t-shirts, boiler suits and towels.
“It’s a competitive market, so we are always looking to see how we can improve our services and continuous investment is an integral part of our future growth strategy.”
ENDS
Issued on behalf of the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust and Trutrex. For further information contact, Jen Nash on t. 07971 466 220 or Margaret Gibson and Louise Moore at PSYBT head office on Tel no. 0141 248 4999. Visit the PSYBT WEBSITE at www.psybt.org.uk
Contact WSA Clothing Limited on tel. 01361 810 304 or visit
www.border-embroideries.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
Photography supplied: Kasie Campbell, aged five from Falkirk, gets kitted up for her first day at school. PSYBT CEO, Mark Strudwick, visits Trutex in Glasgow.
MEDIA RELEASE posted by Panache Communications. You too can post media releases (aka press releases) on allmediascotland.com. For more information, email here.
Contact: Jen Nash
Phone: 07971 466 220
Email: jen@panachecommunications.co.uk
Website: http://www.
