A STITCH in time has quite literally saved more than nine for
a Warwickshire manufacturing firm.
In fact, it has saved around 90 million stitches a day after bosses
at elasticated tubular bandage company Easigrip imported a knitting
machine with 550 needles.
Entrepreneur Gill Sweeney, who set up the company with support
from her husband Paul in 1999, has seen such a rise in orders
from all over the world, she has invested in a belated Christmas
present.
The machine has so far produced enough bandage to wrap around
Warwick Castle and its grounds 10 times. By the end of 2003 the
amount of bandage produced by the new machine could lap the popular
tourist attraction 120 times.
Mr Sweeney, joint managing director of Easigrip, travelled to
Germany to test-stitch state-of-the art knitting equipment, before
buying a machine from a company in the north-west.
"I was determined to find a machine, which would cope with
the extra demand in orders," he said.
"The machine had to be imported from Germany so it took 180
days to be made and delivered to our unit in Warwick. But now
it’s here we are able to increase productivity."
The new machine adds to the fleet of British-made knitting-making
equipment currently being used by staff.
It knits approximately three-and-a-half metres of bandage - used
for dressing retention and support - a minute, and has been welcomed
by employees.
Mr Sweeney said the firm, which supplies bandage to the United
Nations, is looking forward to a productive 2003.
He added: "More and more people are using Easigrip and I
believe it is the quality that has helped to secure business in
six overseas countries including Holland, Ireland and Belgium.
"It is a competitive market, but we feel for a small firm
we more than measure up to other brands."
ENDS
EDITORS NOTES:
1. Easigrip is available on UK Prescription.
2. Easigrip was launched at Germany’s Medica tradeshow in
1999. Only recently has the product become available on UK Drug
Tariff.
3. Easigrip was marketed at the Medica ’99 tradeshow in Germany.
