Editorial: Our habits at crux of job losses

THERE was almost a good news/bad news element to the Cavalier Spinners announcement last week.

Sixty-eight jobs are going from Whanganui.

But it could have been worse. Christchurch lost its felted yarn plant entirely. That is moving here.

But it is hard to focus on the remaining jobs still in Whanganui with such a gutting of the plant, and the majority of the job losses in the restructure by carpet maker Cavalier Bremworth coming from here.

The wool spinning operation has been in the city for more than 40 years. Incorporated Castlecliff Spinners in December 1974, the name was changed to Cavalier Spinners in 1981. The restructure and job losses are due to amalgamating operations in the North Island and specifically Napier, the exchange rate and the popularity of the product.

None of the responsibility for the closure of the plant could be put at the feet of the workers there. Many had worked there for decades, part of a skilled, reliable workforce. In fact the issue can be laid at the feet of all of us - we don't buy wool carpets any more. They are warm, smart and durable but just too expensive for many New Zealanders.

In a speech to shareholders in November, Cavalier Corporation's Paul Alston talked of the time when wool carpet sales were 70 per cent of the New Zealand market. Wool is now less than 20 per cent of the carpet market. The replacement of wool with synthetic fibres has seen Cavalier and its subsidiary Radford Felted Yarn pitch its product at the premium section of the market.

The website notes Madonna, Lenny Kravitz and Jennifer Aniston walk on carpets made from their felted yarn. Hopefully focusing on the premium market will keep part manufacture of a prestige Kiwi product, actually made in the country from a commodity product, in Whanganui for years to come.