23/05/2003

North-west textile industry gets jobs brief

Textiles manufacturer Fruit of the Loom have announced a decision to go ahead with the production of a line of men’s underwear for the European market.

It is hope that the range will secure much-needed jobs for the company, which currently employs around 650 workers at the two remaining plants at Buncrana and Campsie.

In Europe the company is well-known for its range of casual wear that includes tee-shirts and sweatshirts. However, in the US the company is better known for its range of underwear and is a market leader in this sector of the clothing market with a substantial share of the market.

Among the company’s latest catch lines is “Good days start with Fruit of The Loom".

The company has three main business areas: retail products, activewear, and its European operation, which accounts for some 13% of the company’s global market.

In 1998 the company transferred much of its garment sewing operations to Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America, basing 95% of its finished garment manufacturing output in these countries

(SP)

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