Report - Loudoun Valley Manufacturing Co, Ayrshire - July 2019

[Brewtal]

I've had this pinned for a long time, got told about it by an older friend and just never bothered to make the journey as there was never much of interest out that way. Luckily this was one of two places a short drive from each other so I finally got my arse in gear. In a way, I am glad I held off. It was an absolute fucker to light up the pitch black production floor and I would never have managed to make a half decent job of it years back. It was such a pain that I ended up going back 2 weekends later to retake shots haha!

I have been unable to find any real history of the place, the name evaded me until I found a document with the address on the second visit.

Thanks for looking!

 

[urbanchemist]

Wow!

 

[Bugsuperstar]

That’s a belter!

 

[Els]

!

 

[HughieD]

Wow. That's a corker.

 

[tarkovsky]

Jeezus that’s lovely!

 

[tumbles]

Welcome back, what a corker to return on !

 

[Yorrick]

Stunning and in great nick considering the front part burnt down!

I have been unable to find any real history of the place

There isn't a lot, but I've found a few bits -

The company started as Stevenson, Young, Anderson & Co around 1890. It was incorporated in 1916 as Stevenson, Anderson and Co to carry out the manufacture of “lace, muslin, lace curtains, plain net, chenille, tapestry and other textile fabrics”

Like most textile companies, trade started to drop in the late 70's when foreign imports were massively undercutting the UK.

This is from Hansard (Commons sitting) in 1991 “Tom Smith, the managing director of the Loudoun Valley Manufacturing Company, said to me only today: As one of the principal manufacturers of the local valley for the past 30 years, I have never known trade to be so bad. The apparent lack of understanding shown by the present Government in not giving assistance and also the fact that cheap imports are coming into Britain is destroying the textile trade.” This was after the South Korea textile industry received £2.5 billion in government subsidies.

By 1995 they were principally making “yashmaghs - being head-dresses and shawls, textile piece goods, robes and articles of outer clothing for the Arab market around the world.”

In 1999 they were sued for illegal use of an opponent’s trademark - MALAKI.

I don’t know when it closed but the company was dissolved in 2018

 

[raisinwing]

Really nice!

 

[Calamity Jane]

Wow, this is a beaut. I love the looms. Reminds me of one a few years ago, that was a wool/cotton factory, I cant recall the report name. : Glad your back at it.

 

[mookster]

Really is one of the best factories out there, a proper, proper timewarp like Staines Tinware.

 

[Speed]

Nice one mate. We visited here in the summer after a couple of years of putting it off as 'we didnt think it looked that good' How wrong we were! It was great. One of the best textile mills I've had the pleasure of visiting.

I forget the name of the place too but @dweeb googled it at the time and had a photo of the front pre demolition etc. I think

Also I feel your pain!

 

[albino-jay]

Cracker that mate. Wounded about the goon leak. Had that myself too. Its a fucker. Anyway, good to see you back posting.

 

[Camera Shy]

Nice, it's a proper bitch to light up that big shed full of machinery at the back innit!

 

[dweeb]

Amazing place, I was really happy to have seen it. Never seen a textile firm with so many machines left.

I echo what has been said above - a bugger to light!