Porterhouse Limited

1 . Company Background

Combining high quality superior design and service, Porterhouse Ltd. has long been regarded as one of the premier Irish weaving companies. Founded more than five decades ago in the historic Boyne Valley region in Drogheda, Co. Louth, this location remains the firm’s headquarters to the present day. Drogheda has a long-establishedconnection with the textile industry and as far back at the 18th century as many as 2,000 local hand weavers were producing up to two million square metres of cloth annually.

Porterhouse was set up on the site of an old mill, known locally in Drogheda as The Tapestries. Four members of theDoolan family are involved in the business and the company currently employs 82 people full time and many more seasonally who work from their Start of case studys imparting hand-finishes to many of the garments and accessories. Some of the current workforce has been with the company for over 35 years and it is a feature of the current employment that many are the relatives of former employees who have retired. Families are represented, in some cases three members of the same family, giving a close-knit, proud and dedicated workforce.

Porterhouse is a vertically integrated company. It has full control over the design and fabric manufacture of all itsproducts, as fabrics are designed, woven and converted into finished garments and Start of case study furnishings items all at the one location. Its raw materials are sourced from a small number of long standing suppliers. The fully staffed fabric design department, equipped with a computerised handloom facility, works in collaboration with the garment design studio, not only to keep up with but also to stay ahead of the fashion trends.

Wool is the chief component of the fabrics but chenilles in rayon are also produced as well as some blends. The company incorporates these varying fabrics to produce the now renowned traditional company styles. These styles are branded as the Weave of the Irish garment product range of jackets, skirts, waistcoats, ponchos, swingwraps, shawls, scarves and hats as well as the Start of case study furnishings range including throws and cushion covers. Separately under the house label Porterhouse Ltd. is the specialised business of supplying hospitals and nursing Start of case studys with flame retardant articles from bed linen through curtains. Another brand name that is used is Boyne Valley Weavers, chiefly for private label clients.

Company Activities

There are three separate areas of business carried on by Porterhouse: