Hawick Retail Opening.indd

On Friday 25 May 2012, Johnstons of Elgin opened a new state of the art Cashmere
Visitor Centre at their Eastfield Mills site in Hawick. The opening ceremony was per formed
by the Duchess of Nor thumberland with 250 guests from all over the UK, including some of
Johnstons of Elgin’s cashmere raw material suppliers from China.
Commenting on the £1.0 million investment, director James Sugden said: “This is a fur ther
step on the way to cementing our position as Scotland’s leading manufacturer of cashmere
products both woven and knitted. As well as creating an additional 20 jobs, the retail shop,
café and interpretation centre will help to protect the existing manufacturing jobs in Hawick
where we already employ 250 people.
All the building work has been carried out by local trades, providing vital work at a dif ficult
time for the construction industr y. A lot of the work has involved renovating the 1882 frontage
to the mill, and this has taxed all the skills available in Hawick to reach the high standards
associated not just with our products but also our marketing and presentation. Over the years
Hawick as a town has had a bad press, but it is our aim with this investment to help to put the
town back on the map as a destination place to shop.”
Johnstons of Elgin employ 750 people between the two plants in Elgin and Hawick, and last
year turned over in excess of £50.0 million.
For fur ther information contact:
James E Sugden OBE
Director
Johnstons of Elgin
Tel 01450 360500
email [email protected]
For press enquiries:
Jenny Stewar t
PR/Marketing Manager
Tel 01343 554061
email j.stewar [email protected]