A Derbyshire firm which designs and manufactures clothes is set to create 25 new jobs after receiving six-figure funding to fuel its growth.
David Nieper, based at Alfreton, has said it will create the positions over the next two years. The family-owned firm, which currently employs 250 people, has been making ladies fashions for more than 55 years, selling its products around the world.
In October, the business celebrated a major production landmark after making its 100,000th knitwear garment. The company first branched out into making knitwear after a number of its suppliers fell by the wayside. Over the past 30 years alone, the UK has lost 85% of its textiles jobs to offshore production.
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The company currently has a full order book – but to deliver these orders it needs more staff with the right skills. To this end, it has set up the David Nieper Sewing Academy to provide training for new recruits.
Now, a £100,000 grant from the Derby Enterprise Growth Fund (DEGF) will help support the work of the academy. Managing director, Christopher Nieper, the son of company founder David Nieper, said: “Decades of offshore manufacture have left a critical skills shortage in the clothing industry.
image: http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276250/binaries/Nieper3.jpg
David Nieper’s range includes quality knitwear products.“At David Nieper we remained steadfast in our commitment to developing local British skills and creating local jobs. Thanks to that choice we have experienced growth every year. The DEGF grant will enable us to fast-track our sewing academy programme.
“Our trainees will be equipped for a wide range of rewarding careers in fashion manufacturing -from dress making to pattern cutting, design, knitwear and quality control.”
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DEGF was established as a £20 million re-circulating grant and loan scheme, following a successful bid into the Government’s Regional Growth Fund. In September it was announced that the fund, which was established in 2013, had helped create more than 1,000 jobs in and around Derby.
It has supported hundreds of businesses in getting investment and expansion projects off the ground – each creating jobs. Derby City Council’s economic regeneration team manages and delivers the fund.
image: http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276250/binaries/DavidNieper.jpg
Garments made at David Nieper’s Alfreton factory are sold around the world.Councillor Martin Rawson, city council deputy leader and cabinet member for communities and city centre regeneration, said: “Our funding scheme is one of the most successful of its type in the country. In this case, we have been able to create new jobs locally but also help to secure the future of the clothing industry in the county.”
DEGF is now entering a new phase with the distribution of £12 million of recycled loan funding. Applications are invited from businesses with plans for growth and job creation in Derby and Derbyshire. For more details visit www.derby.gov.uk/degf.
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