It was founded in 1874 when Australia was the largest producer of wool on the planet. Today the team at Waverley Mills has big plans for a sustainable future.
Already a subscriber?The warp machine’s mechanical march makes up just one part of the percussive symphony at Waverley Mills on the outskirts of Launceston. Two parallel bars rise and fall in constant motion, lifting alternating woollen warp threads while the weft threads shoot across in between. The checked woven cloth appears centimetre by centimetre, slowly rolling onto a huge spool before being cut into blankets made from pure Tasmanian merino wool.
“It’s a pretty special place,” says chief executive David Giles-Kaye, looking out of a huge window to the clear waters of Distillery Creek outside. “I just thought this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of helping to bring something like this into the long-term future.”The fact that the mill is still in operation today is nothing short of a miracle.
“The business needed an injection of significant amounts of money to get back to the stage of being really viable,” says Giles-Kaye. With the federal government’s current focus on Australian manufacturing, he hopes there is scope for future support. Meanwhile, he’s concentrating on Waverley building its capacity and growing at a manageable pace.
In the long term, he’d like to think the company could eventually turn over as much as $100 million. “That’s the sort of thing we’re trying to build here,” he says.You only have to look at other heritage Australian brands to see this isn’t an unreasonable vision – when approached in the right way. Since Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s Tattarang investment arm bought R.M. Williams in 2020, it has invested in manufacturing in Adelaide, opening a new women’s boot workshop this year.
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Spend weekly shopping edit: La Marzocco, Rimowa, Chanel, Waverley Mills, Longines, Guerlain and morePlenty to savour here, from stylish kitchen essentials to gifts for friends – furry ones included.
Read more »
Brentwood Secondary College in Glen Waverley in Melbourne investigating offensive ranking list in girl’s bathroom7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Read more »
Australia news live: Chalmers reveals lower debt burden; Australia ‘gravely concerned’ about Rafah attackFollow live
Read more »
Residents in South Australia and Western Australia treated to vibrant Southern Lights display7NEWS brings you the latest local news from Australia and around the world. Stay up to date with all of the breaking sport, politics, entertainment, finance, weather and business headlines. Today's news, live updates & all the latest breaking stories from 7NEWS.
Read more »
Australia housing crisis: Why Australia can’t build enough homesThe Albanese government’s promises of 1.2 million homes over five years are now in the realm of political fantasy, despite the billions of dollars it has pledged for housing.
Read more »
‘Out for numero uno’: Anne Edmonds, Lloyd Langford take on TaskmasterCan Australia’s best-known comedy power couple survive the inspired silliness of Taskmaster Australia?
Read more »