Dundee textile firm Halley Stevensons will invest £1 million on new machinery as it looks to increase capacity.
The firm has been manufacturing in Dundee since 1864 and specialises in waxed cotton for use in clothing and luggage, including Barbour’s famous waxed jacket.
The seven-figure capital investment has been supported by a £300,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise and safeguards the firm’s 26-strong workforce.
The funding will support the installation of a new fabric drier and water efficient dyeing equipment in addition to coating technology to improve the manufacturing process.
It is the largest capital project that Halley Stevensons has undertaken since the current owners purchased the business 19 years ago and will allow the firm to develop new products from recycled materials and plant-based waxes.
Halley Stevensons managing director James Campbell said: “Product development is the life-blood of our business and this investment will allow us to continue the good progress we have made so far and challenge ourselves to make new sustainable products.
“Technology is evolving at a rapid rate and sustainable manufacturing requires the latest equipment to improve efficiency.
“Environmental responsibility is at the forefront of our latest developments and products.
“We use raw materials and processes that are largely biodegradable and sustainable/low impact.
“The new machinery planned will allow us to develop improved new products that last a lifetime.”
Halley Stevensons started as a jute mill and then evolved into dyeing and finishing.
The company led the development of waxed cotton, with its first patent awarded in 1910, and is now the market leader in the innovation and manufacture of waxed cotton and waterproof fabrics.
The company, which supplies high end fashion houses globally, has seen its sales more than double in the last five years to around £6m.
It plans to create four new jobs as the company invests in new equipment at its site in Dundee.
Halley Stevensons production manager Billy Tosh said: “From an efficiency point of view the investment will allow us to run three times quicker and drops our energy consumption for what we are producing.
“It will also open up development opportunities within the market that we know are there. We can target our product development to diversify.”
Head of business support services at Scottish Enterprise Anke Heggie said: “It is fantastic to see a company with such a rich heritage enter an exciting period of expansion.
“Halley Stevensons continues to create innovative textiles in Dundee that are used across the UK and globally by major brands and its ambition to create products from sustainable sources such as recycled cotton and environmentally friendly wax is exemplary.
“It is vital that companies embrace new ideas in consideration of climate change and this is a key principle of Scottish Enterprise in supporting a sustainable and prosperous economy.”
The firm was visited by minister for business, fair work and skills Jamie Hepburn who said: “Not only will this grant support jobs at Halley Stevensons and carry on the textile firm’s legacy, it will also allow them to purchase new equipment to create sustainable products which are in demand globally.
“It’s crucial we continue to invest in our industry, which is exactly what we’re doing through the £65m National Manufacturing Institute Scotland which will support business to innovate, expand and diversify.”
