"Since the 60s we have focused on school jumpers, although they went into decline in the 80s because schoolchildren become more informal about school," he explains. "Then in the early 90s there was a move towards embroidered polos and sweats. But more people wear uniform now than ever before - it's making a comeback. People are realising the benefits of the identity it creates and it is also more affordable. So, despite falling numbers and price pressures, the school uniform market has grown, both in volume and in pound value."

It's not just the market that has changed over the years, the products have too, says Moore. Jumpers were origininally made of cotton. "But this faded too easily so there was a move towards acrylic-rich jumpers," he explains. "Recently there has been a move towards cotton again, because dyes have progressed and colour doesn't fade as much. There is also more polyester, which has also improved in the last 20 years and can help a garment's performance - which is critical in our market."

While jumpers remain Rowlinson's core offering, a few years ago it decided to branch out and offer more schoolwear "because it's what we understand", says Moore. It now offers a multibrand strategy made up of:Woodbank - the affordable brand; Performa - the same range, but with enhanced performance; Gymfresh - the antimicrobial sports range; and Snow Goose - the fleece range.

Courtelle

In terms of progressing its jumper offering, in 2007 Rowlinson bought the Courtelle brand, which was big in the 60s as a fashion brand, then in the 90s for school jumpers and hand knitting. Rowlinson is relaunching and investing heavily in the brand, which is registered in 84 countries, and promoting it within schoolwear.

"It has a different technology than other acrylic jumpers, making it hardwearing but soft," says Moore. "Our commercial director Ken Edgar used to work at Acordis, the last owner of Courtelle, where he was responsible for the Courtelle Fibre - so he knows it inside out and will be ideally positioned to take it forward."

The Courtelle purchase is indicative of Rowlinson's growth over the past few years: since 2000 sales turnover has gone up four and a half fold, while credit rating is up 10 fold, says Moore. "As a mark of our success, we won Entrepreneur magazine's ‘Best Deal under £10 million' award.We have worked really hard with our bank to build and maintain trust so we are really proud of that award. To get confidence from a bank is really quite uplifting," he says. "All this and it's a seasonal market - people only buy schoolwear one week before school and we have to fund that. Our good relationship with our bank is systematic of how we work with our suppliers."

This relationship is really an extension of the core principles Rowlinson bases its business on - the strength of having the right people on board and treating them well.

Moore explains how Rowlinson has used some of the findings from a book called "Good to Great" as its guiding principles. "The book measured every company in the US that had ever traded and looked for those that outperformed the market," he explains. "It compared companies that were average and made the transition from good to great (i.e. outperformed the stock market by five to 10 times). The research identified 11 out of tens of thousands of businesses that were average for years then outperformed the stock market. The 11 businesses all had the same traits, which were far from what people expected.

"Of the 11 businesses, only one of them brought in a leader from outside. Some of what they did is simple common sense - a lot is about people and how they are your assets. In our own way we are adopting some of those principles.We have got the right people on the bus and the wrong people off. In doing this, at times we've suffered - it took us six months to find the right packer, for example. All our staff have healthcare - we care about them. Likewise, if the phone rings at 5pm when someone's about to walk out the door, they answer it."

Rowlinson would like to be one of the top 100 companies to work for, but as a company operating within the textiles industry is realistic about what it can achieve. "It's hard when you're in textiles - you can't tempt people with posh offices etc. you have to do it another way," says Moore. For Rowlinson, one of those ways is to make sure all 60 members of staff are salaried - unusual for a factory.

The ‘care factor' is crucial to Rowlinson, both in terms of its staff and its suppliers, as Moore explains: "We believe that if we put good stuff out there and good offers, not cheap stuff and cheap deals, we will hold firm. So, we have a company rule that everyone we deal with has to care, they have to believe in what we're doing. This applies to everyone - banks, suppliers, agencies, the lot. Out of around 70 suppliers over the years only three have survived that test."

The production process

As one of the few manufacturers left in the UK Rowlinson produces its specialist products from its factory in Stokport. The jumpers start out as sections of fabric, which are cut using a hydraulic press to become either a front, a back or a sleeve.

These panels are then joined together on an overlock machine, before the neck band is put on by a linking machine. The then jumper has its ‘sew down U's' done, before the labels are put on. The jumper then goes into a machine to be turned inside out. All the jumpers then go through a needle check machine - a crucial safety check, especially given the market these jumpers are going into - before being packed up.

In the embroidery room, which handles the work for the specials (bespoke orders), there are seven machines, six six-heads and one eight-head. The embroidery is done 24 hours a day, five days a week - it's all about quick turnover as you would expect, especially as the peaks in the schoolwear market are so condensed.

With such a longstanding history within the schoolwear market it's no surprise that Moore is also the chairman of the Schoolwear Association - the new body formed to protect and nurture all those working within the school specific uniform sector. The sector has come under increased pressure of late from the government and supermarkets, and the Association is hard at work lobbying for the good of the industry. It currently has over 200 members, but as yet does not have enough support from the embroiderers. "We've got most of the big players on board, but not many embroidery companies - even though this is an issue that affects them greatly.We need their support," says Moore. "All the work of the Association is being done for the good of the industry and to help the market grow and to secure it. £50 for all that - it's a no-brainer really."

Web: http://www.rowlinson-knitwear.com/

http://www.schoolwearassociation.co.uk/

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