L.W.R. expands "with drive and vigour”

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33370, 31 October 1973, Page 20

L.W.R. expands "with drive and vigour”

Sales of Lane Walker ; Rudkin Industries, Ltd, ( which set a record of ($26.4 million last year, are so far this year : again running at record ■ levels, the chairman (Mr i N. H. Rudkin) told the , annual meeting yester- ■ day. (■ There were substantial (increases in booked orders for the second half of the ( year, Mr Rudkin said. There was concern, said Mr Rudkin, regarding the shortage of raw materials, but the company had taken strong ; measures to ensure the i adequacy of overseas supplies which should be suffiI cient to match the productive < capacity of Lane Walker i Rudkin. ( “At present, taking into (account the limited availability of raw materials and (skilled labour, we are manufacturing to the maximum (extent of our resources,” [(said Mr Rudkin. Staff of Lane Walker Rudjkin, Ltd, alone has increased (by 463 in the past year. “Often we read that the ■ manufacturers and wholesalers are at fault in not (maintaining supplies to the i shops, but mention is rarely made of the substantial in- ■ I crease in consumer demand currently being experienced (by retailers, “The implication is that i manufacturers are not [(increasing their production; j certainly this is untrue as far ((as we are concerned. ! “Your company is building

p production and expanding I | (resources with drive and < e vigour, but it takes time to 1 marshal labour and plant; I 5 resources, and in these un- I r usual times of international < 1 shortages, the necessary raw materials,” said Mr Rudkin, r Referring to the recent t e purchase of the manufacture - ing firm of Bouzaid and Balia- i ben, Ltd, in the Wairarapa. :i Mr Rudkin said this was a|i ii practical exercise in regional s ( development—a policy which (i “(the company had pursued . t (over a number of years. i r| “In seeking out sources of f -(suitable and stable labours “(for our industry we have it ; contributed significantly to 1

the development of these I country areas,” said Mr Rudkin, who added that, in theI South Island, the company j had factories established in eight provincial areas. Equal pay would be felt more by the clothing industry than any other, he said. Automated plant to the value of $256,000 had been ordered in an endeavour to lessen the! impact of increased costs. During 1973, most of the, women employed in production had received wage increases of more than 25 per cent, including the incre- k ment of equal pay which |l came into force on October' 2 1.