R.M. Williams set to make all their products in Australia

Bootmaker R.M. Williams is seeking to fabricate all of its products in
Australia, with the intention of expanding its Adelaide factory in order to
facilitate the move.

At the moment, about two per cent from the company's products are made
offshore, based on the ABC.

New owners Andrew and Nicola Forrest, who purchased the company from L
Catterton in late 2021, said there's been a backlog of orders since Christmas
and factory staff have been asking for more space..

“We're very new to this, so – the most important thing is to listen to
the people that are here,” Ms Forrest said, based on the ABC.

“They're the ones that have worked here, they are fully aware where the
opportunities are where they've been held back in the past, so there's all
sorts of ideas floating and I'm really getting excited about being able to spend
more time back here to go over that and make a strategic plan.”

Mr Forrest has said the business will make the change “as soon as
possible” inside a speech to workers, but said “only an idiot” would specify a
timeframe on something in which you aren't in control of all the moving parts.

When the Forrest's investment business Tatterang purchased R.M. Williams last October, Mr Forrest said their plan was to bring the business back into Australian hands and to share Aussie craftmanship with the rest of the world.

This story first appeared on our sister publication Inside Retail