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New overseas outlets boost for Strabane shirt manufacturer

Thursday, 2 February 2012

Stephen Wightman, of Invest NI, and Karl Dunkley, Grosvenor Shirts managing director, celebrate the news that the Strabane-based shirt manufacturer has secured two franchise agreements in Nigeria and Ghana following support from Invest Northern Ireland.

A STRABANE-based shirt manufacturer has secured two franchise agreements in Nigeria and Ghana - a move which is expected to increase sales by £600,000 over three years.
Grosvenor Shirts designs and manufactures quality men's and boys' shirts and offers its customers both a ready-to-wear range and made-to-measure service from its online and London-based store.
The new outlets in Nigeria and Ghana are due to open in spring 2012 following support from Invest Northern Ireland, and will be the first Grosvenor retail shops to be set up outside the UK.
This news follows Grosvenor's 2009 investment in exploring franchise opportunities in export markets. The Nigeria and Ghana franchises are expected to increase the company's sales by £600,000 over the next three years, with all associated manufacturing taking place in Grosvenor's Strabane factory.
Stephen Wightman, Invest NI's acting director of Life Sciences and Creative Industries, said: "Grosvenor is a progressive firm which has successfully built its reputation in the highly competitive London fashion market.
‘Significant breakthrough'
“This franchise success is a significant breakthrough for the company, which over the past three years has focused heavily on targeting global business opportunities. Investing in brand development and product innovation has enabled Grosvenor Shirts to fully exploit export opportunities and attract new customers in international markets."
Karl Dunkley, Grosvenor Shirts managing director, said: "We identified the potential to grow the Grosvenor brand outside the UK by replicating the successful franchise model of our London store. Securing these franchise agreements in Ghana and Nigeria is a landmark achievement for the company which will help us to enhance our reputation within international markets as a prestigious bespoke shirt-maker.
“Invest NI's support and encouragement to date has been invaluable and we hope that the experiences gained during the establishment of our African stores over the coming months will help us to leverage further franchising opportunities, particularly across the UAE and South Africa."
Fantastic
Meanwhile, Strabane District Council's economic development manager, Geraldine Stafford, said the news represented a fantastic boost for the whole town.
Speaking to the Strabane Weekly News yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, Ms Stafford said: "Grosvenor Shirts have been bucking the trend at a time when it was said that manufacturing was dead. They have been concentrating on brand positioning and quality products, and that has really stood them in good stead."
She added: "I'm delighted that Strabane has got two strong manufacturing firms in Grosvenor Shirts and O'Neill's Sportswear. They have both got to the position they are in by concentrating on brand and quality."
The chairman of Strabane District Council, Brian McMahon, said he was also "very happy" to hear that the local company had secured the two franchise agreements in Africa.
Mr McMahon said: "In the current economic climate, it's good that Grosvenor Shirts are growing their brand successfully worldwide. This will undoubtedly give their workers in Strabane a sense of security, and must be welcomed."

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