Against the backdrop of the last few year’s pandemics and political events, we’ve seen how supply chains can be severely disrupted. At ProGARM, we believe that our manufacturing process is crucial to our ability to deliver the best possible products and services to our customers. By opening our own factory in 2022, we have been able to add control in our process to not only manage our materials and transport but also do the full manufacturing cycle, riding high above supply chain issues other manufacturers of PPE garments have faced in recent times.
Founding a factory
Our in-house manufacturing journey began in 2021, with the ambitious idea of founding our own factory. It was a big decision fuelled by our commitment to delivering industry-beating lead times and the highest quality for our customers. Still, we were determined to make it a reality.
The process moved quickly, and by December of the same year, we had viewed and secured the ideal premises in Bulgaria. We invested greatly to establish the facility and began building our operation in January 2022.
In February 2022, we welcomed our first employee, and by March, we were producing our first garments. With investment and a commitment to training and upskilling our staff, we diversified our product offerings to include technical garments. By May, we were fully certified, with 40 skilled seamstresses. Today, our factory employs over 100 people.
As our factory grew, quality control remained a priority. We’ve provided our staff with comprehensive training and supported their upskilling to ensure we continue producing high-quality products.
Full control of the supply chain
By managing the entire supply chain process from start to finish, we’ve gained greater flexibility in responding to customer needs, and keeping our manufacturing in mainland Europe has allowed us to avoid the shipping delays experienced by our competitors who rely on garments coming from the Far East.
This approach allowed us to replenish our stock in the UK in much shorter cycles and be confident in keeping our customer promises for good availability and next-day delivery. This control over our supply chain has proven to be a significant advantage in meeting the demands of a rapidly changing market.
To further optimise our distribution process, we’ve implemented a new model that eliminates unnecessary trips to subcontracting factories. By consolidating our distribution process to one location, we’ve not only improved efficiency but also reduced our carbon footprint.
High-quality products
ProGARM garments are built to last. All our garments are manufactured with strict internal controls on the quality of production, fabric, and components. By tracing all aspects of the production process, we can identify and address any problem areas through our quality control procedures.
We proudly hold both ISO 9001 and Article 11B accreditations, which recognise the exacting standards we set in delivering the best arc flash and flame-resistant protection. To ensure safety in production, we actively seek out OEKO-TEX-approved suppliers for the materials we use in our garments.
Less admin
We are constantly seeking ways to simplify procedures for our customers and make their experience with us as seamless as possible. Recent legislation changes have made it difficult for our European customers to do business with UK entities.
We are actively exploring the possibility of offering direct dispatch to our EU customers from our factory. This solution would significantly reduce administrative overheads for both our customers and us, allowing for a more streamlined ordering process.
Less waste
We recognise that the production and recycling processes for protective clothing are more complex than for typical clothing products. ProGARM’s RECYCLE initiative allows UK customers to return garments in bulk to be recycled and reused, contributing to a circular economy and avoiding landfill waste.
You can read more about our sustainability highlights here.
