Member Article

Recruitment drive to support clothing industry revival underway

ALMOST 100 people have attended a recruitment open day to find out more about the jobs being created by the company which is reviving clothing manufacturing in East Durham.

The AMA Group Ltd is opening a state of the art facility at Whitehouse Business Park in Peterlee, signalling the rebirth of an industry which was once at the heart of the area’s business community.

The newly created company, launched by former Claremont Garments directors Paul Watts and David and Julie Price along with two other directors, announced in February that it would be creating in excess of 100 jobs over the next 18 months.

And to support that phased recruitment drive, The AMA Group teamed up with Jobcentre Plus to host the open day for people interested in applying, which was held at The Employability Trust in Peterlee.

Some 90 people attended two informal sessions where they heard from HR Director Paul Watts and Jobcentre Plus representatives about the jobs which will be created in the coming 18 months.

Joint Managing Director Paul Watts said: “Since we announced in February that we were bringing clothing manufacturing back to the area, the level of interest we’ve had has been fantastic. We’ve had call after call from people who used to work in the industry in days gone by who are just desperate to work with us. That’s a great position to be in.

“We have always planned to recruit a mix of experienced machinists and enthusiastic young people who will receive industry training so this recruitment open day was the ideal opportunity for people to find out more about our plans and the jobs we’ll be recruiting.

“Initially we’re looking to have in place around 20 people with production starting at the end of this month, followed by a phased recruitment drive to fill upwards of 100 positions.”

Enid Dalton from Jobcentre Plus added: “We’ve had a phenonimal amount of interest from people keen to find out more about The AMA Group’s plans and that was reflected in the number of people who attended the open day.”

The AMA Group Ltd will occupy Whitehouse Three on Whitehouse Business Park which was specifically chosen to reflect the modern, hi-tech approach to clothing manufacturing. The space will be gradually occupied as production is scaled up, beginning initially on the ground floor.

The company will have three divisions of business: contract manufacturing of garments for high street retailers, supermarkets and designer brands; commercial training aimed at companies within and suppliers to the retail sector; and a consultancy service for retailers focussing on the design and development of garments and how to purchase the best quality goods at the most competitive prices.

Business Durham, part of Durham County Council, has supported the directors during the development of their ambitious plans and assisted with the search for suitable premises.

Paul added: “We’ve worked long and hard to put in place plans which we believe will lead the revival of the clothing manufacturing industry, not just in East Durham but across the region as a whole. This recruitment drive is the first stage of those plans which will be implemented over the coming months.”

The AMA Group will be working with East Durham College to train the young people they recruit.

Principal Suzanne Duncan said: “This is a massive boost for the East Durham area and I’m delighted that the college is doing its bit to support the company by training the young people so they’re ready to begin work. It’s a great opportunity for them to find secure work in an industry which was once the bedrock of this area.”

The AMA Group is planning a further recruitment day in the summer as the recruitment drive continues.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Leanne English .