SDC Enterprises, Maintains Position as Global Market Leader with New Projects and Considered Expansion Strategy

SDC Enterprises, the industry’s trusted supplier of testing consumables – is further strengthening its position as the global market leader with two exciting new projects already underway.

The acquisition of the Colour Index™ and the launch of the new Proficiency Testing Scheme will strengthen the specialist’s portfolio of products, building upon its reputation as the industry expert in textile testing.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of educational charity the Society of Dyers & Colourists, SDCE has taken ownership of the Society’s Colour Index™, adding the globally-renowned product to its portfolio of trusted testing consumables. The Colour Index™ is the unique and definitive classification system for dyes and pigments used globally by manufacturers, researchers and dye specialists, and is available both as an online subscription and a Heritage Edition, which comprises the original volumes of the Colour Index™ published between 1924 and 2000.

SDCE is also in the process of launching its Proficiency Testing Programme, an industry-wide scheme which will enable laboratories in the textile sector to audit their test procedures and technicians, rate their performance against that of their competitors and gain the kudos of participation in a globally-recognised independent benchmarking scheme.

The new projects have been launched as part of a considered expansion plan which has seen SDCE strengthen its global presence year-on-year. With a network of distributors located in 27 countries worldwide, the brand’s testing consumables are trusted by thousands of textile technicians and retail giants, many of whom specify SDCE products for their BS, EN and ISO testing procedures.

For Turkey specifically, the appointment of ETKI Ltd in May last year saw SDCE develop its direct distribution into the country. Established in 1987, ETKI is a leader in its field for textile testing instruments and calibration services, and the partnership has helped to raise SDCE’s profile across the country.

As an ISO 9001-certified supplier, SDCE guarantees that each product within its portfolio performs to stringent standards, reassuring manufacturers and retailers of consistency and reliability throughout their testing procedures. The full range of testing consumables includes its signature bestselling multifibre adjacent fabrics, standard test fabrics, verification fabrics, light fastness fabric, testing chemicals, phenolic yellowing products, Martindale consumables, grey scales, detergents and a range of auxiliaries from washing load ballasts to steel balls.

SDCE is also developing its on-site textile operation, having acquired specialist cotton weaver Sam Weller in 2016. The move brought the manufacture of SDCE’s signature single fibre adjacent fabrics in-house, ensuring that their production could be carried out under full SDCE quality control. The company has also continued to produce its specialist decatising wrappers, as well as a range of other textiles for both industrial and consumer use. The partnership has seen both businesses gather pace, growing by over 20 per cent in 2017, and exporting 60 per cent of their testing consumables and industrial fabrics to countries across Europe, Asia, Australasia and the US.

Following such significant growth, SDC Enterprises has set its sights on a new 9.5 acre site, which it has bought with a view to building a new, purpose-built factory to facilitate the successful

operation of both SDC Enterprises and Sam Weller. The premises include a substantial number of leased units, and the development land required for the existing business to continue to grow.

“Having identified new opportunities for growth, SDC Enterprises will relocate as part of a wider strategy to ensure the development of sustainable income for the charitable aims of our shareholder the Society of Dyers & Colourists,” says SDC Enterprises’ managing director Mark Yare. “The relocation of our existing workforce will ensure that our skills can be retained, and that we can continue to deliver a quality and consistent service worldwide while continuing to grow and develop.”