Textile firm William Denby is a great survivor - thanks to the management's ability to change with the times.

And commitments to customer service, quality and speed of delivery are other factors which have helped the company stay ahead of the game.

The Baildon firm are commission dyers and finishers of woven fabrics. They are one of a number of textile companies in the district which pride themselves on upgrading plant and machinery.

The firm has just spent £350,000 on four Thies dyeing machines which are made in Germany and has an option on a further two. If it went ahead with the two more, the six machines would carry out 75 per cent of its production.

Lewis Howcroft, the firm's financial and administration director, said: "The fabrics traditionally dyed at the company include polyester, nylon and various other blends. With the new dyehouse machines, we will be able to dye a significantly increased range of fabrics including more complex specifications.

"We operate in a demanding and competitive market place which is being aggravated by the strength of sterling. Response times and the ability to handle increasingly complex specifications are critical to our success.

"The new equipment will allow us to continue to develop our customer base and will ensure that we play our part in retaining a dyeing and finishing industry within the UK."

The firm has also recently spent £60,000 on new technical computer equipment which will allow it to reduce the time it takes to come up with dyeing "recipes", reduce costs and improve delivery time to customers.

The company, which was established in 1820, has had its ups and downs over the years.

The firm currently employs 135 workers and produces 225,000 metres of fabric a week. But in its heyday in the late 1970s it employed 600 people on the Tong Park site.

The firm has been through difficult times in the last few years and last year had to make a number of people redundant. Bosses anticipate new orders in the next few months thanks to a commitment to quality products and customer service.

New dyeing equipment and state-of-the-art computers are not the only investment William Denby is making.

The firm is now setting up a website in a bid to market itself to a global audience and potentially bring in extra orders to build the business up further.

The firm has been bought out by a number of companies over the years and in April, 1997, went through its second management buyout, and the current management team are hoping for a more prosperous future.

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