供應全球軍服的英格蘭公司(上)

From the heart of Yorkshire, England, a tiny, family firm is running a global empire – not in steel or machinery, but in military uniforms and ceremonial clothing. More surprising still, their customers have included everyone from great leaders to notorious dictators, royalty to pop stars.

在英格蘭約克郡的中心地段，一家規模不大的家族企業卻經營着一個全球帝國——他們的產品不是鋼鐵，也不是機械，而是軍裝和禮服。但更令人驚奇的在於，他們的客戶多種多樣，從偉大領導人到著名獨裁者，從王室成員到娛樂明星。

When Wyedean was founded in 1852, it offered just 12 items. Today, the firm can produce any of 10,000 products or patterns from a catalogue that dates back decades – with some designs unchanged since the 19th Century. The company’s clients include militaries in Saudi Arabia, Fiji, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sri Lanka as well as the United Kingdom.

1852年威迪恩（Wyedean）創辦之時，它只提供12種商品。但如今，該公司總共提供10,000多種商品和花色，其中最早的樣式可以追溯到幾十年前——有些設計自19世紀以來就再也沒有發生過任何變化。沙特阿拉伯、斐濟、新西蘭、尼日利亞、斯里蘭卡和英國的軍隊都是該公司的客戶。

Why Wyedean?

爲什麼是威迪恩？

Despite its niche product line, Wyedean still competes with manufacturers from the UK and overseas – including several factories in Asia which have lower labour costs.

儘管只侷限在一個小衆領域，但威迪恩仍然要與來自英國本土和海外的廠商展開競爭——包括多家擁有較低勞動力成本的亞洲工廠。

The firm says it has survived by adhering to a basic business tenet: reputation is key. Wyedean’s longstanding relationship with the British Ministry of Defence in particular has helped it win confidence from buyers abroad. Their client list now includes the United Nations as well as the military and security services of 60 other countries.

該公司表示，他們之所以能夠生存至今，是因爲始終堅持基本的商業宗旨：聲譽勝於一切。威迪恩與英國國防部建立的長期關係幫助他們贏得了海外買家。他們的客戶包括聯合國，以及60多個國家的軍事和安保服務。

Robin Wright, the company’s managing director, said that Wyedean sells just under $3m worth of products to the MoD per year. That makes up nearly half of Wyedean’s turnover, which last year hit a company record of $6.1 million.

該公司總經理羅賓•懷特（Robin Wright）表示，威迪恩每年向英國國防部出售的產品不足300萬美元。這大約佔到該公司全年營收的一半——其去年營收總額達到610萬美元。

Colonial connections also still play a role in Wyedean’s businesss and some of the firms production has been done from Pakistan since 2000. Many former colonies’ military uniforms, for example, still mimic those of the UK even decades after independence. “What Commonwealth countries wear in uniform accoutrement is traditionally British (in style), and the main driving force for overseas client sourcing from UK manufacturers such as ourselves,” Wright said.

與英國殖民地的關係仍然在威迪恩的業務中發揮了一定作用。自2000年以來，該公司一直在巴基斯坦生產服裝。例如，很多英國前殖民地在獨立後仍然模仿了英國的軍裝。“英聯邦國家的軍裝制服都是傳統的英國風格，這也是海外客戶向我們這樣的英國廠商採購的主要動力。”懷特說。

Given Wyedean’s far-flung networks and commonwealth contacts, it perhaps not that surprising that some of its clothing has wound up being worn by infamous despots. Among the roster: Idi Amin, Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein.

由於威迪恩的網絡分佈廣泛，而且與許多英聯邦國家簽訂了協議，所以臭名昭著的獨裁者也成爲該公司的客戶也就不足爲奇。其中包括伊迪•阿明（Idi Amin）、穆阿邁爾•卡扎菲（Muammar Gaddafi）和薩達姆•侯賽因（Saddam Hussein）。

But, says Wright, it is rare that Wyedean has direct contact with any recipients; most trade is conducted through third-party representatives.

但懷特表示，威迪恩很少與客戶直接簽訂協議，多數交易都是通過第三方代表完成的。

In another example of how unpalatable events can be good for business, wars – or more accurately the victors of them – can also be lucrative clients. Although they also provide regular military uniforms, most of Wyedean’s business is for ceremonial dress – and with military power comes ceremony, commemorative parades and a rise in product demand. At the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War, for example, the new government “wanted to buy ceremonial dress,” Wright said.

另外，一些令人不快的事件可能反而對該公司的業務有利，例如戰爭——或者更精確地說，是戰爭的勝利者——就可以爲該公司帶來有利可圖的客戶。儘管威迪恩也會供應常規軍裝，但他們的多數業務都來自軍禮服——包括軍隊的慶祝活動、紀念遊行和產品需求增長。例如，懷特表示，在斯里蘭卡內戰結束後，該國新政府“希望購買禮服”。

Dealing with foreign clients, including those in countries enduring political upheaval, can be a roller-coaster. One such example came in 1979 after a coup in Ghana saw the company lose out on an order of 5,000 duty armlets for the national police. The money lost from the sale falling through “was a big hit and a learning curve for the company.”

與外國客戶（包括那些遭遇政治動盪的國家）進行交易可能會像坐過山車一樣大起大落。1979年就發生過這樣的情況，當時的加納政變導致該公司失去了來自加納國家警察的5,000個臂環訂單。這種訂單落空引發的資金損失“對該公司構成了沉重打擊，也使之從中吸取了經驗教訓。”

But this has not stopped Wyedean from pursuing international deals.

但威迪恩並未因此而停止探索國際貿易。