DUE TO THE HUGE AMOUNT OF ORDERS WE HAVE RECEIVED, WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING TO WORK TO A
10 TO 15 BUSINESS DAY DISPATCH (EX WEEKENDS)
Customer/Business Update IMPORTANT
Over the coming months and indeed the following 3 years you will see some changes to how we operate. These changes will be actioned to streamline the business operation which in turn will allow us to continue to run the business well into our retirement ensuring we keep our customers happy, at the same time allowing us the oppertunity to get the correct worklife to homelife ratio, currently we find ourselves answering messages at weekends and in the evening, which we or should I say I have to stop because as we are aging, our down time is essential for us to be able to preform effectivelly when in the business. Some of the changes you will see happen, will indeed be driven by us and the planned retirement, others by our Textile suppliers which we have less control over.
As many of you are aware Dapa is now the ONLY supplier of shorts in NYLON satin, this will soon No longer be the case as we are in the process of discontinuing this fabric, due to issues with the supplier. Once our current stocks of this fabric are gone, we will be buying no more we have a decent amount of stock currently. We were on Great terms with our original supplier and on terms which worked for the supplier and us, however they sold the business in January of this year, the new company guaranteed they would continue with the same terms for small companies; however, they have reneged on that promise and now require us to purchase the same quantities as the multi nationals who buy fabric from them. My previous company allowed me to buy 1 roll (100m) per colour, as we required them however the new company now require us to take a minimum of 10 Rolls (10 x 100m = 1000m) per colour, so over 14 colours that is a potential 14,000m of one fabric which is just not feasible financially, we are far too small a business to tie that amount of capital up in to one or two fabrics even if we did have it to spare and even more importantly that could potentially be 140 x 100m roles of fabric to store, which would be a health and safety nightmare as our studio is tiny and we do not have the space to store it safely. This newer company also supplies our quality poly satin and some of our sheer ripstops so the same will be true of these fabrics, we will be discontinuing them as we will completely cut ties with this company. We may be able to source the ripstop elsewhere, but in smaller quantities & supplies are likely to be a little more sporadic.
We will, for the foreseeable future continue to sell our shorts in PVC, Gloss PU Nylon, Ultra-Light Gloss PU, Pertex and available Ripstops. Our under-wear ranges will continue be made in our silky fabric and our newer Liquid satin, so Bed Shorts Lounge pants and Boxer Shorts will eventually move to Liquid satin from Poly Satin, Some Products may be available in the old Poly Satin and Liquid Satin simultaneously as we sell through our stocks of Poly Satin. We will still be adding Jocks to our range and indeed the new Mengerie range will still be launched during the year. due to these fabric Changes we have, with immediate effect discontinued the Swatch Cards as we can no longer guarantee the availability, anybody who has purchased one in the past few days will be refunded.
In an effort to, streamline we are planning over the next 3 years to give up the studio and work differently, the initial stage of this is to discontinue slow selling lines so by August we will no longer offer, Tracksuits, Track Jackets, Boxing Robes and effectively Boxing Shorts, PU & PVC Track Pants will remain available for the foreseeable future, but options will change for these and other lines. We will over the next 12 months significantly reduce the trim options and phase out the slower sellers as we need to reduce the number of colours so we can work towards making our garments in advance and having a small stock of each item on hand in the best selling sizes, this will allow us the luxury to work a few less hours as we wind down and simplify the operation. In terms of trim, the colours Definitely remaining Will be Black, White, Red, Sunflower Gold, Royal Blue & Pewter, possibly a couple more but we will see.
Our underwear range will remain as it is and may even grow as it has become even more popular than our shorts and can be easily made this in advance and stored, so sits well with the streamlining and new business model.
I appreciate that some of you will be disappointed, but none of us can run from the onset of older age and with that comes many changes, Patrick & I have worked since leaving school and want to ensure we have the time required to enjoy our latter years in good health. We have loved running Dapa and still do but we need to make some changes for our health, our work/life balance and indeed our future so we can continue to run Dapa for as long as there is demand.
We would like to thank you for all the support you have shown Dapa and indeed us over the years and hope that you choose to stay with us as we transition, we will continue to strive to meet your needs all be it on a slightly different level.
More Information and updates to follow as we progress through the changes
Dave
Over the coming months and indeed the following 3 years you will see some changes to how we operate. These changes will be actioned to streamline the business operation which in turn will allow us to continue to run the business well into our retirement ensuring we keep our customers happy, at the same time allowing us the oppertunity to get the correct worklife to homelife ratio, currently we find ourselves answering messages at weekends and in the evening, which we or should I say I have to stop because as we are aging, our down time is essential for us to be able to preform effectivelly when in the business. Some of the changes you will see happen, will indeed be driven by us and the planned retirement, others by our Textile suppliers which we have less control over.
As many of you are aware Dapa is now the ONLY supplier of shorts in NYLON satin, this will soon No longer be the case as we are in the process of discontinuing this fabric, due to issues with the supplier. Once our current stocks of this fabric are gone, we will be buying no more we have a decent amount of stock currently. We were on Great terms with our original supplier and on terms which worked for the supplier and us, however they sold the business in January of this year, the new company guaranteed they would continue with the same terms for small companies; however, they have reneged on that promise and now require us to purchase the same quantities as the multi nationals who buy fabric from them. My previous company allowed me to buy 1 roll (100m) per colour, as we required them however the new company now require us to take a minimum of 10 Rolls (10 x 100m = 1000m) per colour, so over 14 colours that is a potential 14,000m of one fabric which is just not feasible financially, we are far too small a business to tie that amount of capital up in to one or two fabrics even if we did have it to spare and even more importantly that could potentially be 140 x 100m roles of fabric to store, which would be a health and safety nightmare as our studio is tiny and we do not have the space to store it safely. This newer company also supplies our quality poly satin and some of our sheer ripstops so the same will be true of these fabrics, we will be discontinuing them as we will completely cut ties with this company. We may be able to source the ripstop elsewhere, but in smaller quantities & supplies are likely to be a little more sporadic.
We will, for the foreseeable future continue to sell our shorts in PVC, Gloss PU Nylon, Ultra-Light Gloss PU, Pertex and available Ripstops. Our under-wear ranges will continue be made in our silky fabric and our newer Liquid satin, so Bed Shorts Lounge pants and Boxer Shorts will eventually move to Liquid satin from Poly Satin, Some Products may be available in the old Poly Satin and Liquid Satin simultaneously as we sell through our stocks of Poly Satin. We will still be adding Jocks to our range and indeed the new Mengerie range will still be launched during the year. due to these fabric Changes we have, with immediate effect discontinued the Swatch Cards as we can no longer guarantee the availability, anybody who has purchased one in the past few days will be refunded.
In an effort to, streamline we are planning over the next 3 years to give up the studio and work differently, the initial stage of this is to discontinue slow selling lines so by August we will no longer offer, Tracksuits, Track Jackets, Boxing Robes and effectively Boxing Shorts, PU & PVC Track Pants will remain available for the foreseeable future, but options will change for these and other lines. We will over the next 12 months significantly reduce the trim options and phase out the slower sellers as we need to reduce the number of colours so we can work towards making our garments in advance and having a small stock of each item on hand in the best selling sizes, this will allow us the luxury to work a few less hours as we wind down and simplify the operation. In terms of trim, the colours Definitely remaining Will be Black, White, Red, Sunflower Gold, Royal Blue & Pewter, possibly a couple more but we will see.
Our underwear range will remain as it is and may even grow as it has become even more popular than our shorts and can be easily made this in advance and stored, so sits well with the streamlining and new business model.
I appreciate that some of you will be disappointed, but none of us can run from the onset of older age and with that comes many changes, Patrick & I have worked since leaving school and want to ensure we have the time required to enjoy our latter years in good health. We have loved running Dapa and still do but we need to make some changes for our health, our work/life balance and indeed our future so we can continue to run Dapa for as long as there is demand.
We would like to thank you for all the support you have shown Dapa and indeed us over the years and hope that you choose to stay with us as we transition, we will continue to strive to meet your needs all be it on a slightly different level.
More Information and updates to follow as we progress through the changes
Dave
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