Uniform firm takes on 20 new workers (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Company says it is on course to achieve £2.5m of sales after moving to new site

8:10am Tuesday 12th October 2010 in Business By Chris Holland

More than 20 jobs have been created at a West Yorkshire school uniform specialist.

Perry Uniform has combined traditional garment tailoring with niche internet retailing to expand the Pudsey-based operation.

The firm has grown over the past two years and is on target to achieve annual sales of £2.5 million.

The historic tailoring firm has relocated in a £300,000 self-funded move that created 23 new jobs in an 18,000 sq ft complex. The new bases includes production, a design studio and sales call centre.

The 38 strong workforce ranges from teenaged school-leavers to experienced time-served garment workers who are all multi-skilled, enabling them to easily switch to different tasks.

The company is now looking to further plans by enlarging its customer service department Managing director Bernard Bunting said: “We operate in a cut-throat and competitive market but our value added services set us apart from the multiple retailers.

“Most importantly, we are available 24 hours a day, 364 days of the year and we carry stock all year round – not just during the peak back-to-school period.

“Importantly, we use hard-wearing, long-lasting cloth milled in Yorkshire for our blazers, jackets and suits. We embroider school crests on garments to establish a sense of belonging and identity that reflects the ethos and heritage of the school.

“Additionally, we sew in personalised embroidered name tapes and offer free delivery and returns of orders direct to home or office making it easy to shop at a time convenient to parents. This year we have also introduced a repair and alteration service to help hard pressed parents get even more wear from their children’s uniforms.”

Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves visited the company to present apprenticeship certificates.

She said: “I am impressed by the enthusiasm shown by all the staff and the importance with which the company clearly regards training.”