Camira Fabrics, a leading weaving and technical knitting specialist, has been presented with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade by the Vice Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire Mr Tim Hare, which recognised the company’s sustained growth in overseas markets over the past six years.

The ceremony took place at Camira’s woollen yarn spinning plant, where Mr Hare presented a cut-glass rose bowl to the company’s Director of Sales for Asia Pacific Brigitte Heimrath and Production Manager Richard Hutchinson.

Strong market position

“It was a really special occasion for us to be presented with the Queen’s Award by the Vice Lord Lieutenant,” commented Group Sales & Marketing Director Andrew Schofield.

“We’re continuing to strengthen our position in global sales territories, where we’re seen as environmental innovators, and we have ambitious sales plans up to 2020 and beyond. I’m sure there’ll be more Queen’s Awards in the future.”

Ms Heimrath had earlier attended a reception at Buckingham Palace together with Director of European Sales Reiner Rupp. This is the company’s fifth Queen’s Award following previous wins for Sustainable Development and Innovation.

Camira Yarns spinning mill

The presentation ceremony was enjoyed by about 100 of Camira’s 700 staff members, who are spread across sites in West Yorkshire, Nottingham and Lithuania.

According to the company, the Camira Yarns spinning mill represents the start of the textile manufacturing process and has been instrumental in developing environmental yarns which go into fabrics made from innovative blends of wool, nettles, hemp and flax.

The company sells over 8 million metres of contract upholstery fabrics a year to around 80 countries, used to upholster seats on public transport and in offices, universities and hotels. Export trade accounts for about 60% of turnover, with the largest overseas markets now being North America and the Eurozone.

Technical knitting

The company’s capability starts with the yarn itself, from wool spinning and polypropylene yarn manufacture, through to yarn dyeing, warping, weaving, technical knitting and textile finishing.

Camira’s so called ‘technical knitting’ is an advanced capability, which allows textile components to be knitted in a single piece on a flat  knitting machine , with no cutting or sewing required, and no bulky seams. Components are “knit to fit” on Stoll flat knitting machines, becoming an extension of the furniture design either as a 3D shape or a self-supporting mesh fabric, with unlimited design and patterning potential.

Camira’s knitted fabrics are tailored to specific customer applications – for task and soft seating, screens and partitions, transport seating and lifestyle accessories. The company works with industrial designers at the design stage, or with furniture manufacturers to retro-fit knitted covers to existing chair models.

www.camirafabrics.com