SELKIRK TEXTILES FIRMS SET UP STALL IN HOLYROOD

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 26th Jun 2008

Jim Hume, MSP for the South of Scotland, last night took the opportunity to congratulate the textiles industry in the South of Scotland by gathering companies from across the region for a parliamentary reception and networking event attended by the Enterprise Minister.

Jim Hume said:-

"Organising the reception was a great pleasure and hugely important because we need to constantly highlight the excellent quality of the textiles industry in Scotland. The textiles industry represents a significant part of Scotland's economy and this is particularly true in the South of Scotland whose economy is more reliant on manufacturing and land based activities than in the national context, and so it's crucial to support, retain and develop this traditional industry.

"It's clear that there are challenges - other parts of Europe and markets further a field are more cost competitive. Scottish design talent and the range of innovative and high quality textiles being produced in Scotland continues to go from strength to strength. Therefore competing on quality and design would seem a sensible conclusion. In the same way that Scotland produces some of the best quality food and drink in the world, I hope that the textiles industry will further excel on the already excellent range and high quality of products sold in and out of Scotland so that we build on our international renown.

"And we need to make sure that our marketing is spot on so that we take every advantage to build on opportunities at home and abroad. I know that Scottish Textiles has been doing a lot of work in that area and I see quite a few companies this evening from the Cashmere Club, an excellent initiative started in 1998. An initiative that recognised that its not two companies competing against each other in the same town that we have to address, but it's the World competition that is the greatest challenge, as the world becomes smaller with globalization and competitive advantage of nations.

The MSP continued:

"I was delighted to see Selkirk firms Lochcarron and Hinnigan Fabric displaying a range of their excellent products. It was great to see companies from all over the South region in attendance including Kearse & Boys and EMB Knitwear, both of Innerleithen, and Tweedbank Textiles of Galashiels.

"It's really important to keep the focus on the textiles industry and I'll be taking every opportunity to do so through my representations to the Scottish Government."

ENDS