Leicestershire manufacturer Brookes Jordan, which supplies scarves, hats and memorabilia to Premier League football teams, has resumed full operations following the coronavirus outbreak with the support of a six-figure CBILS loan from Lloyds Bank.
The Barwell business is preparing to tap into growing demand ahead of the new Premier League season and will start exporting its goods across Europe and the United States again as restrictions continue to ease.
The business, reported to be Europe’s biggest producer of football scarves, netted funds from the Government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to support it after the pandemic halted production at its factory.
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It has enabled it to secure the jobs of all 65 employees at its west Leicestershire site.
The business has also remained committed to ensuring the wellbeing of all its staff throughout the lockdown, and ensuring that the site is a safe environment for them to return to work.
As restrictions ease it will help the firm get the ball rolling again to meet growing demand in the build up to the 2020/21 Premier League and other sporting competitions around the world.
The business is once again exporting its products to European football teams and leading NBA and NFL sides in the United States.
In total, exports account for around 10 per cent of the business’ income.
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With the new football season also on the horizon, the firm is also preparing to introduce new products, including a snood which can be used as a face covering as well as helping sports fans stay warm during the winter months.
Company director Trudy Doyle said: “We’re proud of our role in the local community here in Barwell, so it was a priority for us to ensure that we were able to keep all of our staff together.
“The funding we received made this possible and we’ve been able to resume production of our high-quality, locally-made goods to help fly the flag for British manufacturers across the globe.
“The support and guidance that the Lloyds Bank team provided has been vital in helping us to navigate this turbulent period.
“We look forward to developing our relationship with them as we continue towards recovery.”
Noshad Khowaja, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank, said: “Brookes Jordan is an excellent example of a British manufacturer that has enjoyed significant growth both at home and abroad in recent years.
“Like many businesses, the coronavirus outbreak posed a number of challenges, but it’s been encouraging to see them returning to more normal business operations.
“The manufacturing sector is hugely important here in the East Midlands. We know that many businesses across the region have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, but we will continue to work closely with them during the months ahead as part of our ongoing commitment to helping Britain prosper.”