Member Article

Clothes2order doubles capacity with Trafford Park expansion

Clothing supplier Clothes2order has doubled its capacity in order to meet increasing demand by expanding into two more units in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester.

The company, which supplies customised clothing for uniforms, promotions and events, has leased 12,000sq ft on Wheel Forge Way.

One of the two-storey units adjoins its existing premises and has enabled the firm to create an enlarged production operation after installing three new embroidery and printing machines, taking its investment to more than £500k in the past two years.

The other unit is opposite and has enabled Clothes2order to increase its stock levels and create more office space for its growing workforce, which stands at 70 and is expected to reach 100 this year.

Clothes2order now occupies a total of 24,000 sq ft and managing director Michael Conway said the firm has developed a world-class manufacturing operation, he said: “We had reached capacity and required this significant expansion to ensure we stay at the forefront of our industry in terms of speed, quality and reliability,”

“The additional space and equipment means we are fully geared up to supply more orders in industry-leading times, while also improving our efficiency and working conditions.”

Clothes2order prints and embroiders logos and slogans on to clothing for more than 20,000 businesses, clubs, charities and societies as well as individuals.

It is the fastest-growing division of Quayside Group, which saw revenues rise 50 per cent last year to £6.6m. This year, it is targeting sales of £9m and aims to hit £20m by 2017.

Clothes2order has also embarked on the latest phase of its export growth strategy with the launch of dedicated websites in the United States, Australia and Ireland which mean customers can pay in their local currency.

Mr Conway continued: “We already have strong sales and good delivery networks in those countries, and having these sites greatly improves the customer experience, which is a key focus for our business.”

In a further development, Clothes2order has created a platform where teams, organisations, charities and individual designers can set up their own online merchandise store for free.

This means they do not have to carry stock, as it enables their customers to buy any number of their items directly from Clothes2order.

Around 200 merchandise stores have been created in the first two months of the venture.

Mr Conway said: “This initiative means we can offer a greatly improved service to clubs, organisations and other bodies as well as individual designers and we are delighted with the take-up so far.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .