BRITISH INDUSTRIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21471, 20 April 1933, Page 5

BRITISH INDUSTRIES

RESULTS OF RECENT FAIR ORDERS FROM ABROAD ROYAL FAMILY'S INFLUENCE [from our own correspondent] LONDON, March 14 C According to inquiries mado by the i Federation of British Industries, "tak- r ing tho British Industries Fair as a i whole, it would be safo to say that 1 the general result, though not up to s the 1932 standard, has probably been 1 less short of it than might have been i expected in view of present world con- c ditions, as well as of the difficult times i through which this country has 5 passed." Indicative of Royal influence on the fair, it may be mentioned that, 1 as a result of the purchase of a rain- 1 coat by the Duchess of York, the firm which supplied it has received orders to make 15,000 coats a week for the i next six months: 1 In some instances exhibitors have done better in actual orders than last year. Though foreign buyers were fewer than in 1932, they were " more . serious" and ordered rnore_ readily-; —a most encouraging sign, bearing in mind the manifold export trade difficulties. A questionnaire conducted by tho National Union of Manufacturers obtained sixteen favourable replies out of twenty-five firms. Tho favourable answers ranged from " satisfactory " to " extremely satisfactory." One firm reported that inquiries were up by between 60 and 70 per cent. The Textile Section Lieutenant-Colonel D. J. Colville, M.P., Secretary of tho Department of I Overseas Trade, has been in very close j touch with the- work' which has been done. He remarked: —" There has been a distinctly happy atmosphere in all sections of the fair. Oversea inquiries j have been numerous and many useful ; orders have been placed, although j world conditions have tended to mako these not so widespread as at the 1932 i Fair. In a great measure these good : results are due to the gracious interest of the Royal Family and the wholehearted support of the press. There is no doubt that once again tho fair has achieved its object as a great marketing centre for British goods. ! In London the Fair has been visited by buyers from 78 countries, those showing increased numbers on last year being Belgium, France, Canada, Australia, Italy, Poland, Austria, tho Straits Settlements, China, Czechoslovakia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Iceland. The attendance of buyers from Denmark, Sweden and Norway lias fallen considerably, probably because fewer buying parties have been organised. Inquiries at the stands of a large number of representative firms in the textiles section revealed that about 95 per cent were thoroughly satisfied. A small section of exhibitors expressed the view that for certain classes of cotton goods this is not the best time of the year to secure orders. Apart , from them there were few stallholders who have not already made up their minds to exhibit at the l'ajr next year. : Oil behalf of an Irish linen firm, it was stated that the results were very . \encouraging and were definitely better L than last year. The number of inquiry cards from oversea was equal to that r of the last three years. Holland is bet coming a new market for British tex- * tiles. > New Overseas Contracts ■- 5 A hosierv firm stated that last year \ was good, 'but this year lias been bet- , ter, both in figures and in new ac--3 counts. Thc.v had made many valuable * new contracts. Manufacturers of cotJ ton fabrics who as tho result of orders ; at the last fair opened a new factory 1 stated that they will havo to extend : it thus providing further employment, t A firm of Yorkshire woollen manufac--1 turers said they had opened up fresh ' fields and got in touch with people ' thev would never have met in any 2 other way. A firm making uucreasable r fabrics, with resident agents all over r the world, declared that they had made new overseas contracts. Scottish wool--3' ] en manufacturers are already consider- * ing taking additional space next year ? if thev can get it, and individual firms ; are very satisfied with the business '• done. One cotton firm has done so well : with overseas business that they have 2 decided to open a Continental cam--1 paign. New customers- at home include ! gome who have been approached un- } successfully for years.