Kilts used by the Royal Regiment
of Scotland will be made in Scotland, by Scottish companies, the MoD
announced today, however, their sporrans and trews will be made in
England.
The main contract, worth £1.2m,
was awarded to Glenisla Kilts in Motherwell, who will supply the Royal
Regiment of Scotland with approximately 5,000 kilts over four years.
The company will manufacture the kilts using tartan from Robert Noble
Ltd of Peebles.
A further £190,000 contract for
other kilts and accessories such as scarves, rosettes, plaid and piping
items was awarded to Argyll Bagpipes and Kilts in West Dunbartonshire.
However, the £1.4m contract to
supply 5,000 horse hair sporrans was awarded to Birmingham based Ammo
and Co Ltd, and the £1.7m contract to supply 5,000 pairs of trews, as
well as other items such as socks, spats and jackets, was won by Leeds
based Turner Virr and Co Ltd.
Armed Forces Minister Adam
Ingram said today: "This is good news for Scottish manufacturing and
the Scottish economy, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and the MoD. We
are all winners here.
"I'm delighted to announce the
contract with Glenisla Kilts. This company, and the other
manufacturers involved in the associated contracts, have proved that
the British cloth industry can provide quality products, reliability,
professionalism and value for money. For the MoD it's not just about
getting the lowest price, it's important to get a product and service
that's right.
"This is also a further step in
the new era of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The battalions have had
a busy year working and training in Iraq, Afghanistan, Canada and
Belize. Despite the doom-mongering, recruitment is on target, links to
local communities continue, historic names remain, and pride in the
battalions remains strong. The new Regiment has opened up a host of
career opportunities for its soldiers, stability for families, and a
more flexible fighting force for the Army."
John Culbert, managing director,
Glenisla Kilts added: "We're not a big company, but we fought hard for
this contract, and credit is due to every single member of our
dedicated staff. This prestigious contract will give us the
opportunity to invest in the business, plus the credibility to compete
for further contracts in the UK and abroad."
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