Oswestry's Newgate Clocks to create jobs after launching watches brand
A clock maker in Shropshire is to expand into the lucrative watch market in a move that will see it grow its workforce by more than a third.
Newgate Clocks in Oswestry is turning out about 500,000 clocks a year, but now hopes to make headway in the watch retail sector by launching its own designs.
The company is looking for 15 new staff to help man the watch business, which will target the area of the market worth between £100 and £300, adding to the 40 people already employed at the Glovers Meadow business.
However, the company says it is struggling to find people with the skills needed to make the most of the plan, and held a showcase of its new designs at the Dana Prison in Shrewsbury to raise awareness of its requirements.
"Diversifying into watches seemed like the next logical step for Newgate and we have had the best time designing, making and launching them," said founder and managing director Jim Read.
"We had no idea how much we would enjoy it and how well they would be received. If we can put Shropshire on the map with watches as we have with clocks, it should catapult the business onto a new level, as if you get it right the watch market is vast.
"We produce about half a million clocks per year and our ambitions are to overtake that with watches – my target is a million watches a year, across the world."
Designs will be put together by the Oswestry company which reflect its existing clock designs. Manufacturing will be outsourced to companies which Mr Read says are more used to making watches in the £1,000 price bracket.
With watches often the domain of overseas designers such as Swiss giants Tag Heuer and Swatch, the company hopes that its British brand and focus on quality will help it make headway in a competitive area of business.
"The avant-garde collection has already drawn the attention of Britain’s fashion press," Mr Read said.
"We were very honoured to have been chosen by Watchpro as one of their Hot 100 Trailblazers."
Jim and Chloe Read set up the company in Oswestry in the 1990s and say their priority was to run a successful business from their home town.
"We are creating 15 high quality jobs in design, 3D design, digital marketing, sales and supply chain," Mr Read said.
"We are now launching our watch brand, but are struggling to hire enough skilled people in the area. The old ways of recruiting have gone, and there just seems to be less skilled people out there looking for work."
"The watch market is an extremely lucrative one to break into and we are confident we can do so with out brand and our designs. We need the right people on board to make that journey with us."
