Clarks closes factory in the UK, a year after its launch

Clarks has confirmed its plans to close its only UK plant after its production and cost plans have failed. The manufacturing plant closes a year after the start of operation.

Last year, the company opened a state-of-the-art enterprise in the village of Street in Somerset in England. It was expected that a unit in Somerset, dubbed Morelight, would create up to 80 jobs and annually produce about 300 thousand pairs of brand classics - Desert shoes per year (that is, about half of the total number that the company produces around the world).

Over the next few years, the company planned to deploy another 10 of such productions in different countries of the world - in the USA, in the countries of Europe and Asia. However, the plans encountered an obstacle, the company announced the closure of the Somerset factory, which would entail the loss of 35 jobs. Ten other employees were reassigned to other positions in the company.

“Despite all our efforts, our goals of reaching a certain level of production and costs could not be achieved in the short and medium term. After conferring, we decided to close the factory, ”a statement was made on behalf of the Clarks management.

Note that the unexpected closure of the Clarks factory occurred against the backdrop of the appointment of the new CEO of the company, he became the Italian manager Giorgio Presca previously run the business of Golden Goose and Geox. He replaced Mike Shirwood, who was fired from the Clarks last year amid allegations of misconduct.