Harris Tweed Industry Strategy

Transcription

1 Harris Tweed Industry Strategy Szombathely June 2013 Support clustering and internationalisation of SMEs John Hopkins & Paul Whittaker WSA, University of Southampton

2 Clustering and Internationalisation of SME s. Harris Tweed Industry Strategy part of the Outer Hebrides Creative and Cultural Industries Strategy

3 The strategy: The three-year creative and cultural industries strategy aims to build on the fundamental character of the Outer Hebrides. The vision for the Outer Hebrides is to become a nationally and internationally recognised creative cluster, maximising the economic and social contribution from creative and cultural heritage, people, content, products and services.

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5 The key objectives of the Outer Hebrides Creative and Cultural Industries Strategy are to: Increase the number of employment opportunities within the sector. Increase the economic contribution of the sector to the Outer Hebrides. To achieve these objectives, an Action Plan identifies outcomes and actions focused along the following themes: Innovation in Growth Sectors ( key outcome: deliver the Harris Tweed Industry strategy) Growing Businesses ( increase sustainability and growth within creative social enterprises) Supporting Skills and Developing Talent (increased range of development opportunities and apprenticeships) Place and Provenance ( Increased brand recognition, levels of exports)

6 Harris Tweedis the United Kingdom's oldest trademark, and the only fabric in the world that is protected by its own Act of Parliament (1910). The Orb Mark continues to be the guarantee of authentic Harris Tweed, dyed, spun and finished in the Outer Hebrides from 100% pure new wool and woven by hand in the home of the local weavers.

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8 Around 130 self-employed weavers, including a number of specialist weavers are employed in this cluster, producing their own niche designs in Harris Tweed and other fibres, and also a network of artisans and high end designers, locally producing finished products to an increasingly internationalised market place.

9 Erdem, Autumn/winter 13/14

10 Stakeholders involved in the Strategy The strategy has been developed by Comhairlenan EileanSiar (the Comhairlei.e. Local Council), Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Skills Development Scotland (SDS) To revitalise the industry and its individual producers, the Harris Tweed Industry Liaison Group secured 200k funding package from the stakeholders above and the European Social Fund ( ) to support training within the industry. The two-year skills programme delivered trainingto assist the industry meet demand for the cloth. It will assist new entrants, professional accreditation and succession planning within the workforce, addressing skills shortages in carding, spinning, warping, dyeing and design.

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13 Evaluation Schemes Measuring progress: yearly esurveys and local government statistics will be used to check the following indicators: 1. Increase the number of people employed in the creative industries; 2.Increase the proportion of GVA generated by the arts and creative industries; 3. Improvement in industry feedback on costs, connectivity, identity and branding; 4. Number of apprenticeships; 5. Number of businesses accessing funding streams.

14 Five years ago, the future of Harris tweed was bleak after decades of underinvestment and poor sales. Production was half that of 2012, at around 500,000 metres, and many feared the industry was in terminal decline. In 2012 production is expected to exceed a million metres the biggest production run for 15 years. Success factors ability to create a new generation interested in and championing tweed cloth ability to capitalize on a product that is completely genuine and has longevity marketing strategy focused on the distinguishing features of Harris tweed: quality and heritage establishment of the Harris Tweed Authority, who protects the brand through the distinctive orb trademark, sewn into the garments to co-brand with design labels and authenticate provenance

15 Harris Tweed Hebrides is an example of how companies are updating and targeting their styling to regain market share with American customers as seen in Ben Affleck s Argo.

16 Difficulties: In the design and production context, the Harris Tweed cloth has had a close association with menswear, presenting a challenge to successful adoption for womenswear. There is recognition of an on-going difficulty in reconciling Harris Tweeds tradition and authentic processes with scaling up production, investing in new technologies and diversification without diluting the brand. At policy level, there are identified constraints facing the sector and future opportunities for growth: access to fast broadband, transport costs, fuel, energy and delivery costs are factors adversely affecting the performance of their enterprise.

17 Transferability of GP: The opportunities brought about by clustering and internationalization of brands and products are well evidenced in the selected GP. Broad policy areas, such as supporting business and social enterprise and strengthening communities and fragile areas are directed into regional policy priorities, in this case developing distinctive regional skills, and further focused into industry specific strategies that are developed and implemented by partners, public and private, at local level. We believe there is scope for the feasibility and transferability across other EU regions, wherever there is a regionally distinct product or manufacture that has key features or attributes, such as those seen in this GP, of quality, heritage and longevity.

18 Questions and Answers