Global export success for Scottish textile manufacturer

Closer to home, the company has also been commissioned by the Society of William Wallace to produce their new tartan which will be sold worldwide.

Working closely with Scottish Development International (SDI) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Bute Fabrics is fulfilling its ambitious growth plans, opening up new markets overseas and achieving exporting success.

Bute Fabrics Ltd managing director, James MacAdam Sprint, said: “We are an ambitious Scottish manufacturer which realises that if we want to grow, we need to win new orders, in new countries, from new customers and through new intermediaries.

“SDI has been proactive in setting up outward and inward missions and introducing wide networks of contacts to us. This has helped us enter into contracts with export partners who have provided us with the key to unlock the door to sizeable sales in foreign markets. This dual approach has helped us to seek out new opportunities and to respond to inquiries we might not otherwise have received ourselves.

“We greatly appreciate the support given by HIE and SDI towards our growth plans.”

Bute Fabrics Ltd is a niche island company weaving fabric for high traffic areas such as airports, public buildings and auditoria. Its success contributes to the £295 million generated each year in exports by Scotland’s textile sector.

With the help of SDI field offices in America and Russia, Bute has developed a fully integrated relationship with Designtex and agreed a co-branding partnership across all of North America.

The company now has its sights set on a number of other significant “push” countries and this week, James and his team are travelling to Russia to meet up with a new partner, Kimberley Expertise, which has five staff working across the breadth of the Russian Federation, a partnership which is anticipated will result in a high increase in sales.

SDI senior executive Fiona Maclachlan, has been working closely with Bute Fabrics Ltd, providing advice and guidance and supporting their exporting efforts through areas such as research, market visits and developing strategic alliances. After thoroughly researching Bute Fabrics, Fiona has been able to add new impetus to the export sales drive and been pro-active in her contribution to success.

Fiona said: “Bute Fabrics Ltd is exactly the kind of company we want to work with. It is highly ambitious to grow and is collaborating with the right people to make that growth happen.

“We’ve worked closely with the team, helping them understand their overseas market opportunities and what they need to do to capture a share of them.

“Working with companies such as Bute Fabrics will help us meet our target of increasing exporting activities within the textiles sector by 50 per cent by 2017”

To hear more Scottish export success stories or to find out how SE, HIE & SDI can help with your international trade and investment plans, visit www.sdi.co.uk/export or follow the news using #scottishexports.