Iconic outfitter RM Williams is back in Australian hands, with its new owner vowing the company will manufacture more of the brand's footwear and clothing locally as support grows for Australian-made products.About 2 per cent of the brand's products are made overseas
After years owning RM Williams and trying to market it to an overseas audience, L Catterton tried to sell it again in mid-2019. RM Williams has a factory in Salisbury where its boots are made. The factory expanded last year to hire 100 more people. There's also an affordability challenge — people often will need to pay a bit extra for Australian-made products.
He said it could become the catalyst for the growth of local manufacturing and help Australia bounce back from the COVID-19 recession."It would be fantastic to bring manufacturing back here. The most common reason given was the pandemic had "highlighted Australia's reliance on other countries", the second was new employment opportunities needed to be created in Australia.Mr Lazzaro said since state-based closures associated with the pandemic began in late March, Australia Made's social media platforms had reported a 300 per cent increase in traffic.
It's a no brainer. Buy good australian quality lasts 3-6 years or more. Buy OS products last 0.5 - 2 years. One qualification - must be 100% Australian in every way.
2% made overseas I suggest you go shopping for RMW clothing and look at where they are made. Try 90% made over seas.
Make them cheaper. That would help sales
There will be no 'resurgence' thanx to stupidly high, manufacturing-killing costs. Australia needs to pull out its finger and aggressively boost the domestic manufacturing industry. Reliance on others will cost us dearly someday.
ABC bootlicking.
Will they accept the Indue card?
Not while it's in the hands of Twiggy. He can get stuffed.
We all hope so .
Doing Twiggy's press releases now?
What is an expert in boots called?
Only if a lot of people can afford to spend $600 for a pair of boots.
WgarNews Too bad it's apparently been purchased with the profits of the disgraceful Indue card.
WgarNews Having said that the price will need to come down to something more reasonable before anyone other than politicians, mining executives and millionaires can justify the cost.
WgarNews I think it’s a good thing that Australia has some capability to produce boots and shoes. Because when we can no longer import for one reason or another cheap shoes from OS we’re going to find going barefoot a bit difficult.
RM Williams haven't announced a firm commitment to manufacture in Aust. Greed sent an Australian company overseas, and ego bought the name, so far that's it. The rest is fluff and nonsense. PS, can't afford those boots on an Indue card either. ThisIsNotJournalism auspol
I like everything about this except 'experts say'.
Not while twiggy owns it, introduces the punishing indue card, fortescue holds indigenous people to ransom, gives to own charity during bushfires to prove cc doesn't exist & get tax break, goes to China for med kits, which didn't work but gov gives him $10m for, morally bankrupt.
Goods manufactured in Australia should be GST free to the consumer?
A Trump move to bring back manufacturing but he is critised for the initiative?
I don’t read things that say “experts say”
That’d be wonderful. Maybe Bonds could come back too.
So what, overpriced shoes or boots. Take your choice.
I will never buy another pair as long as Twiggy has anything to do with the company. I would expect it to be offshored as soon as possible so he can keep getting richer.
Because we could all use a pair of riding boots, a drizabone and a hat.
Well there seems to be plenty of cotton around. Maybe invest in a spinning machine or two etc!!!
Yes it’s a very short hop from making boots to high end electronics, boats, planes and cars. This is likely the excuse Andrew Forrest used to get some tax free status from his mates in the LNP
Not too many have $500 for a pair of boots this year so, no, I don’t think so. Twiggy has bought a luxury brand to try to re-Oz his image after selling his backside to the CCP earlier this year.
Your experts are rarely accurate
The only purpose these shoes have is that they make it really easy to see who you need to avoid starting a conversation with.
Please. Let's not make Forrest out to be a hero. He looks like a good guy on the surface but he is really screwing the indigenous people out of millions. Another rich liar.
They can manufacturer all they want. I will never knowingly buy an Andrew Forrest owned product
Unlikely, nice try ABC
I’m sure employees can afford them
Who on the INDUE card , could afford Twiggy's boots.
No doubt like anything that is Australian made a pair of these boots will now go from 300 to 600 a pop
Will the products be made in Australia?
Could. But probably won't
No doubt in the middle of the worst economic crisis in 100 years, everyone will be rushing to buy a $600- pair of shoes.
❤
Doesn't matter. As long as the name is back on shore. Well done Andrew Forrest with the investment! Maybe develope a more 'entry level' type of boot and belt for the troops..i mean $600 a pair Really! 👢
Not without cheap energy.
Expensive boots that last for decades. Love em.
Why is the ABC advertising products?
Nice
No it won't auspol
I hope ABC got paid for this PR
Well it won’t and we know it.This a free ad from the abc. A ridiculous notion that this company will create a manufacturing surge making high end boots and over priced clothes. Would have to doubt they will even make them here.
It’s a niche brand, hardly likely to spark anything other than Twiggys bank account.
A pair of RM’s boots cost $590+ (relatively much higher than when I bought my first pair from the Haasts Bluff store in 1974). And the clothing is similarly expensive. It’s now a high end brand that most can’t afford, so can’t see how it will spark any local manufacturing uptick.
madeinchina
It’s Twiggy, it won’t benefit anyone but Twiggy
Absurdly wealthy man minimises his tax to such an extent that he can afford to buy a niche clothing company as a vanity project.
Only if Energy prices continue to fall and Unions stop their ridiculous demands.
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Iconic Australia bootmaker RM Williams bought by mining tycoon Andrew 'Twiggy' ForrestIconic Australian bootmaker, RM Williams is being brought back to home soil thanks to new owner, mining magnate Andrew &x27;Twiggy&x27; Forrest. Welcome back ..just hook up to some solar panels made here and a big battery and off your go .... will 'Twiggy' be stopping the Chinese manufacturing of much of this brand? Will he be returning ALL manufacturing to Australia or is this just one of his 'boost my ego' purchases? Perhaps, but he also hasn't paid the Wintiwari Guruma Aboriginal Corp. the $1.9million royalties owing to them on January 31, 2020. His heavy handed treatment of our First Nation People is disgusting!!
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