FACILITIES & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT : ALEXANDRA
“ All staff working within our Head Office at Thornbury were invited to attend the show . Alexandra is a very inclusive business and we like to ensure that everybody gets to experience such events that celebrate our history and heritage .”
SCOPE OF OPERATION
In 2010 , Alexandra and sister brands Dimensions and Yaffy were acquired by the Men ’ s Wearhouse . Founded in 1973 , the Men ’ s Wearhouse is one of North America ’ s largest specialty retailers of men ’ s apparel , with over 1,700 stores and annual revenues of $ 3.25billion . The Men ’ s Warehouse also controls US based company Twinhill ®, a premier uniform and corporate apparel design and distribution company . Men ’ s Wearhouse recently rebranded as Tailored Brands .
“ Twinhill ® has just had one of the biggest ever wins for our overall group in picking up American Airlines ; they ’ re now providing the uniforms for ground crew and service teams – the first time they ’ ve had new uniforms in several years . It ’ s been a fantastic rollout .
“ In terms of group scale , the support from our parent company in the US gives Alexandra strength and scope for expansion . We can not only build upon the current dominance that we show within the UK , but also strengthen our Dutch operations and growing international aspirations . We ’ ve got an expanding international sales team and a new international strategy . We ’ re looking at strengthening Alexandra in mainland Europe , moving into the Middle East too , so it ’ s a very exciting time .”
DAVID HARMER , HEAD OF CATEGORY MANAGEMENT
“ I studied product design and innovation at Derby University which gave me a strong passion for the development of product . Although it wasn ’ t a degree focused on garments , it did entail developing commercially successful products that were right for the consumer and that could be delivered successfully in terms of product performance . These principles have remained with me throughout my whole career to date .
“ My role as Head of Category Management for Alexandra is to lead the management of the products and services that we offer via our catalogue and digital platforms , as well as providing strong guidance on the bespoke solutions which we manufacture for clients .
“ My team and I manage 8 different categories which all stand within the catalogue : Healthcare , Hospitality , Beauty & Spa , Outerwear , Workwear , Leisurewear , PPE and Footwear .
“ The team and I review and manage the ranges and styles that form the aforementioned categories , in order to ensure that they ’ re relevant for the customer and vitally , for the wearer . The wearer is at the heart of everything that we do , and a lot of our time and effort is spent building relationships with them to understand exactly what they need from the garment . That ’ s one of the key aspects that differentiates us from our competition .
PRODUCT FOCUS Alexandra ’ s product range offers a huge array of styles relevant to both male and female workers within the Facilities Management sector . The Businesswear , Hospitality and Beauty & Spa ranges offer products for those in front of house roles , whilst the Workwear , PPE , Footwear and Outerwear categories provide styles which are perfect for back of house roles ; maintenance engineers and technicians for example .
“ However , the one category and sector which we continue our historic leadership of is Healthcare . Our range and service offering continues to go from strength to strength and we have the largest range of styles , fabric colours and sizes in the UK as standard . Designed with male , female and unisex fit options , these products are on the shelf and completely accessible for all of our customers , an offering which an increasing number of Facilities Management providers are relying on , as they strengthen their interest in the healthcare sector .
“ If the customer has the requirement for a colour combination to match their branding or a look that is more contemporary that falls outside of Alexandra ’ s standard range , our made to order option is available via the Boyd Cooper brand .
“ For those working in the fast paced kitchen environment , we have a new Chefswear range called Precision . This is a fantastic set of styles that offer premium quality , fabric , design , fit and functionality . This is an exciting range that will continue to strengthen .
“ Our Tungsten range continues to push the boundaries of product design , with a number of contemporary , high end , durable and functional garments available to our customers who require a modern workwear solution .
“ Although the manufacture of PPE is not at the core of our service , we do offer several specific PPE items that , as you would expect , are fully certified and of the highest quality . We supply the ambulance service with their high visibility garments , for example .
“ As HSE International readers readers will know only too well , the requirement for a broad and diverse range of PPE solutions within the Facilities Management sector is of huge importance . With that in mind , we forge strong relationships with some of the most recognisable brand names from the world of PPE , in order to make that provision .
“ The amount of cheap , poorly manufactured or even uncertified PPE that arrives in the UK , which is sold on price rather than quality , functionality , and most importantly the wearer ’ s safety , is a continuous concern for procurement managers . From safety footwear - where composite toe caps have been manufactured using inappropriate materials , to high visibility garments - that look really bright in a pack on the shelves , but are a danger to the wearer when used in the working environment . We ’ ve seen them all .
“ All Alexandra own brand products are guaranteed for two years unless specified , and are rigorously tested to ensure that standards and quality are maintained throughout the manufacture , delivery , and life cycle of the garments .
TESTING AND PERFORMACE As a company , Alexandra understands that workwear is worn more frequently , for longer periods of time , and in more testing environments than everyday clothing , so demands on garment performance are inevitably high .
Uniforms and workwear produced by Alexandra are to the highest standards and rigorous quality management is an integral part of the manufacturing process �.
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HSE INTERNATIONAL