Trading

During the 1950s and 1960s, economic pressures were being felt by the industry. This is reflected in half yearly reviews Templeton's issued to their staff. From the 1950's onwards the carpet industry was facing increased costs of raw materials and in the 1960's foreign markets were declining. These extracts from the reviews are valuable evidence of the company's problems, as the market for Scottish carpets declined.

Extract from the Half-Yearly Review 1950

Statistics and figures generally make dry reading, but we cannot refrain from citing as an example of the prices of the main commodity which we buy, namely, woollen yarn. Taking the price of woollen yarn in September, 1939 as 100, the following is a comparison of the prices at various dates:-

 September, 1939 – 100 August, 1949 – 310 November, 1949 – 370 February, 1950 – 480 May, 1950 – 580

That is, the cost to us of yarn is nearly six times the cost in 1939 and not far short of double what it was immediately prior to Devaluation. A comparison of prices of our other materials shows that Jute is four times pre-war and Cotton five times. The largest proportion of cost in carpet is materials, and at present levels materials account for more than three-quarters of the total cost of a medium grade carpet.

Extract from the Half-Yearly Review 1963

There is little fresh to report from other overseas territories. To-day all export markets are difficult, and while our objective must be to sell as much as the market will take, this remains easy to say but is becoming increasingly hard to achieve. As part of our export effort we have already this year participated at three trade fairs – in Melbourne, Paris and Frankfurt – and shall, as always, take whatever steps we can to bring home the business.