[01
AUG 00] ASTLEYS NEWS
Astleys Lands Huge Tesco Contract
A
Coventry clothing firm specialist has stitched up a
multi-million pound contract to supply clothing to staff at
Tesco distribution centres throughout the UK.
Over
the next five years workwear specialists John Astley and Sons
will be providing at least 500,000 garments to 16 locations in
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The
clothing will be worn by Tesco's drivers, including those at
Crick and Hinckley, as well as staff working in warehouses and
offices.
The
contract includes a range of 40 items including trousers,
skirts, jackets, polo shirts, high-visibility waistcoats and
thermal underwear.
Jonathan
Astley, sales director of Astleys' Industrial Consumables
division, said:
"This
represents the latest success in our rapidly-growing workwear
business.
“By
meeting the high standards of a national customer of this
calibre, we are demonstrating that Astleys is a now a major
player in the marketplace."
Before
the contract was agreed, Astleys had to carry out extensive
research into the methods used to produce the garments, enabling
it to comply with Tesco's ethical policy on the traceability of
garments.
Representatives
from the firm based in Gosford Street even travelled to Sri
Lanka to check the production processes of several manufacturers
and to ensure that they were not using child labour or
exploiting their workers.
Astleys
also had to demonstrate that they could match the supermarket
giant's tight specification for good quality clothing that was
comfortable to wear and durable.
The
firm arranged an extensive series of trials with Tesco staff to
assess the performance of various fabrics and styles before
identifying those that best met the requirements of different
work roles.
Steve
White, national sales manager for Astleys' Industrial
Consumables, heads the team dedicated to managing the contract
Steve
said:
"We
took the decision to manage the entire contract from our
headquarters in Coventry, enabling us to deliver a
consistently excellent service to every Tesco location.
"It's
a round-the-clock responsibility that we take very seriously,
because we are aware of the importance of being custodians of
the customer's branded image.”
Nick
Bond, project buyer in the Tesco corporate purchasing
department, said:
"Astleys
are giving us a first-class service and have proved that they
really have their finger on the pulse of all our distribution
centres.
“Astleys
understand our need for ethical sourcing with full
traceability and in ensuring that the garments meet our very
tight specification. We now look forward to proactively
developing our business relationships over the next five
years."
The
firm was established in Coventry in 1730 as a chandler and
drysalter. It was incorporated as a limited company in 1892.
Today
the company operates three main divisions: Astleys Industrial
Consumables, Astleys Industrial Paints and Astley National,
which sells products exclusively through a network of
distributors.
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