“The markets are very competitive and we face some significant changes in the way customers procure our products,” Ballyclare’s UK MD, Carlton Greener said. “We explained to Ann that a number of customers have recently subcontracted much of their clothing procurement activities to third parties and this is beginning to have a significant impact on the way business is transacted.”

The company has already begun to address changing market conditions by expanding into Europe, with the recent opening of a new office in Germany. “This opens up a huge new audience for us, and it will allow us to provide those customers with the same level of high quality products and service that are rapidly becoming recognised as Ballyclare hallmarks,” added Greener.