CONFIDENTIAL
Annex 2
The Lancashire Textile Industry:
Trends in Demand and Production
In the last 10 years there has been a major shift in the pattern of consumption away from conventional fabrics produced on the Lancashire system into warp-knitting, weft knitting, and other systems of cloth production. In 1958 spun/woven fabrics supplied 66 per cent of United Kingdom consumption; by 1968 the figure had fallen to 50 per cent and the Textile Council has forecast that there will be a drop to some 37 per cent by 1975. At the same time knitted and non-conventionally formed fabrics rose from 15 per cent of total consumption in 1958 to 30 per cent in 1968 and the forecast is for an increase to 43 per cent by 1975.
2. The effect on production, employment, etc. on the Lancashire industry has been marked. The Textile Council's Study shows that the downward trend is likely to continue, in spite of an improvement of 200 million sq. yds. (i.e. 22 per cent)
in
the foreign trade balance in spun/woven fabrics which the authors of the Study assumed could be achieved by 1975. The trends are as follows:
Production
1958
1965
1968
1970 1975
forecast
Spun yarn (m. lbs.)
771
630
550
538
550
Filament yarn (m. lbs.)
191
396
533
Woven cloth:
Spun and mixture m.sq.yds. (of which cotton m.sq.yds.) Filament (excl. tyre card)
m.sq.yds.
1961
1407
1075
1040
1030
(1590)
(1151)
(830)
(720)
265
382
370
395
450
Total woven cloth m.sq.yds.
2226
1789
1445
1435
1480
Employment (thousands)
241
156
125
75
Capacity
Spindles (millions)
Looms
(thousands)
17.5
5.5
3.9
1.7
255.4
125.6
90.0
45.0
Source: Textile Council
3.
The Study gives a demand estimate for Lancashire spun yarn in 1975 of 480 m.lb. (excluding waste spinning). The authors suggested that, if the projected increase in efficiency is achieved, this amount of yarn could be produced in 1975 by 65 mills (compared to the present 133) operating 1.7 m. spindles working 112 hours a week. The weaving estimate of 1480 m. sq. yds. could similarly be produced by 45,000 modern looms operating an average of two-and-a-half shifts/day, giving a possible 90-100 weaving units: there are now some 425 units: and the present 139 finishing units could fall to 50 or to (excluding screen printing).
4. Spinning, weaving and finishing activities are currently shared between 350 separate companies. The forecast, on the above assumptions about capacity, is that by 1975 the number of firms will fall to only 100.
CONFIDENTIAL
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