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Hawick Knitwear goes into administration

Hawick Knitwear has been placed into administration by the company's director.

The administrators have taken the decision to make 123 employees redundant while retaining 56 staff members.

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Team to help former Hawick Knitwear workers find employment

Hawick Knitwear. Credit: ITV Border

Workers who have been made redundant from Hawick Knitwear are to be offered help from a skills development team to find new work.

Local MP Calum Kerr made the announcement, and revealed that Scottish Business Minister Fergus Ewing is to visit the town next Wednesday.

The firm's owners put it into administration yesterday (7 January), and administrators KPMG announced that 123 of the 179 members of staff would be made redundant.

While MP Calum Kerr is says he is confident of finding a buyer for the company, he says it could mean the firm having to downsize:

There is a real opportunity here for a buyer to take ownership of a fantastic company, workforce and brand, but the next couple of weeks are going to be critical.

There is a strong demand worldwide for premium knitwear products and this business is more than capable of servicing that market.

We do have to recognise, though, that we need to create a profitable and sustainable business. That may involve the firm moving to smaller and more suitable premises within Hawick, and it’s highly improbable we’ll be able to sustain a future workforce at current levels.

As well as looking towards a future for the business, we now have to also focus on giving every possible support to those who have been made redundant.

It is hugely worrying for them and their families and the worst time of the year for this to happen. However, the Scottish Government and other agencies will do everything they can to help.

A PACE team will now move in and work to match up those who have lost their jobs with employers locally who are looking to take on new staff and also to offer training opportunities."

– Calum Kerr MP

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