Waxed jacket fashion firm Barbour has expanded its South Tyneside base to create a new studio.
The South Shields business - originally launched in the 1890s to provide hardwearing coats for the region’s fishermen, sailors and mariners - last year saw turnover leap by almost a third, from £218m to £278m, with demand still rising.
As a result, the company, whose outerwear is worn by everyone from royalty and celebrities to farmers and outdoor enthusiasts, has taken up an additional 8,537 sq ft unit at Aidan Court, part of the Bede Industrial Estate in Jarrow, owned by Northern Trust Company. The move takes its space to over 370,000 sq ft on the site.
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The company is using the space to create a new photo studio, to help it showcase its expanded range of products. While it may be famed for its waxed jackets, Barbour also designs, manufactures and sells a complete wardrobe of clothes, accessories and footwear for men, women and children including shirts, jumpers, trousers, footwear and accessories, which are now just as much in demand.
Joe Bernhoeft, director at Barbour, said: “As we bounce back from the pandemic, we’ve experienced a strong increase in demand for our products, particularly through many of our online channels. As this digital movement increases, we are investing in our capabilities and capacities to feed our digital channels with excellent quality brand material and content.
“As such, we have worked with Northern Trust to expand and include a new dedicated photo studio, enhancing the clarity, quality, and relevance of our digital content for our customers. This exciting new step forward is a significant investment in technology and the expansion of our talented digital content team. We believe this will enable us to drive positive interactions and relationships with our consumers across the UK and global markets.”
Northern Trust’s land ownership at Bede Industrial Estate extends to over 1m sq ft.
Barry Nelson, regional property director at Whittle Jones, which acts for Northern Trust, added: “We have worked closely with Barbour for a number of years now on their occupational requirements; and are delighted we were able to provide the additional space they required to further their expansion plans. Having Barbour as an occupier on the site is a real plus for other businesses that are looking to relocate to the area.”
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