Industry Update: Howard Wilder, Banner Sales Director

As I write this update we are entering the last half term of the year and schools are tentatively anticipating a full and ‘near normal’ return in September. Retailers will be aware of the strength of demand and I sense a buoyancy in mood as all of us hope the worst of the pandemic is behind us.

In the meantime, I’m pleased to confirm that Banner are building good stock levels and as a result of our close cooperation with our factories, we are confident of supplying the vast majority of lines on time and in full. A great team effort by our planning, shipping and ops teams who have helped us navigate these difficult times. We would also like to thank our customers for the forward and daily orders that have come in for this coming Back to School, with great demand being seen across the board but particularly on our APTUS Performance and Essentials ranges, and which overall has resulted in us placing orders for a further £2m worth of stock above our original budget.

Nonetheless, some serious issues and bottlenecks remain.

The outbreak of new waves of the virus in Asia has not helped our supply chain and the backlog of shipping remains an issue for industries across the globe. Six of the main wholesale suppliers have already written to retailers, as have the Schoolwear Association; here at Banner, we are following up with emails and calls to affected retailers, explaining the situation, giving expected delivery dates and hoping that they liaise closely with their schools and are able to take as pragmatic approach as is possible to this difficult worldwide issue..

Most importantly, we are asking schools to encourage their parents to order early and to prioritise communication with new starters. We know that many retailers have set up appointment systems and that online offers are stronger than ever. Working together, we are hopeful that Back to School can be managed successfully despite some of the residual challenges.

Currently, we are experiencing high demand, as is evidenced by the levels of our daily orders. While we have good stocks, you can help us by ordering as far in advance as possible and keeping in touch as the peak of Back to School approaches. For those lines at risk of delays, such as overseas embroidered garments, we will keep you and your schools fully informed; as always, we are working tirelessly to ensure the swiftest possible arrival.

Next month at Insight, we’ll also be looking at what this means and how Banner will be working to support retailers and schools as they seek to apply the new rules in a practical and pragmatic way.

Meanwhile, we wish all our customers a bright summer and a successful ‘Back to School’ that reflects the progress we have made together.