Invest NI supports luxury shirtmaker Smyth & Gibson
22 Feb '12
2 min read
Smyth & Gibson Shirtmakers Limited has announced plans to expand its export presence with support from Invest Northern Ireland.
The luxury shirtmaking business, which has a factory in Londonderry and a store in Belfast, is investing over £102,000 as part of plans to target new customers across Canada, the US, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Invest NI has offered Smyth & Gibson over £40,000 of support.
Smyth & Gibson has from its inception designed and made its own products. All its shirts are handmade.
Over the next 12 months the firm will recruit a new Financial Systems and General Manager and undertake a range of market development activities.
As part of its sales and marketing strategy, Smyth & Gibson plans to exhibit at trade fairs and meet with buyers from a number of major high-end retailers in a bid to place its product range within their stores.
Stephen Wightman, Invest NI's Acting Director of Life Sciences and Creative Industries, said: “Smyth & Gibson is operating in an extremely competitive clothing market and has recognised that proactive advertising and brand development activities will be crucial to growing the business outside Northern Ireland. This investment demonstrates the company's drive to achieve international success and gain its share of potentially lucrative export contracts.”
Richard Gibson, Managing Director of Smyth & Gibson, said: “This investment forms an important part of our long-term business development strategy and Invest NI's support will be integral as we implement our expansion plans. Over the coming months, we want to cement our reputation as a prestigious shirtmaker among both new and existing customers and grow sales of our own label products particularly in the US and Canada.”
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