Longwood based textile company Wooltex UK is creating 56 jobs and extending its premises to meet rising demand, Huddersfield Examiner reports.

Contract fabrics manufacturer Wooltex UK is part way through a recruitment drive to take its total workforce to more than 100 by the end of the year, according to the newspaper.

The firm, which supplies fabrics for uses including office seating, office dividers and seats in cinemas and theatres, has also tabled plans to extend its Woodland Mill premises onto a neighbouring site.

Expansion

The move, which is awaiting planning approval, will add 40,000sq ft to its existing 65,000sq ft of space. That will create more space for additional machinery and increase manufacturing capacity in the areas of warping, weaving, fabric finishing and sample making.

The expansion drive represents a multi-million pound investment for the company, which was founded in 1996.

Managing director Peter Timmins told the newspaper that the company had grown every year since its launch and sales had tripled since 2010. More than 90% of its products are exported, mainly to the EU.

Significant increase in demand

In an interview with the newspaper, Mr Timmins said: “Between us – with us concentrating on the manufacturing and them concentrating on the marketing – we have seen a significant increase in demand and that demand is likely to continue over the next few years.”

“We have products that the end-users are crying out for but we have got to the point where our current facilities are not big enough to cope with the increasing demand. We have got to the stage where we cannot get one more weaving machine in this building. We are already having to outsource some weaving, which is logistically difficult.”

New facility

Mr Timmins expressed hopes to have the new facility up and running by July or August, adding: “Building the new extension and extending the existing manufacturing facility will also allow is to go into new areas of manufacture which we have previously sub-contracted out, such as fabric finishing.”

He said the increase in demand also reflected the revival in the appeal of wool-based products following a major marketing campaign by the wider industry. “For the type of thing we produce, wool ticks every single box,” he said.

Mr Timmins invited Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney to the firm’s premises to explain the plans – after Mr Cartney hosted a visit by representatives of Wooltex to Westminster last week.

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