The Albion Knitting Company, a London based luxury knitwear manufacturing company, has announced its incorporation in the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland, as of December 2024. The company is now named as The Albion Knitting Company IOM, Ltd. The move marks a significant milestone for both Albion and the Isle of Man’s diverse Advanced Engineering & Manufacturing Sector.

Albion, known for its fully fashioned vertical knitwear production, manufactures for luxury brands such as Givenchy, Chloe, Paul Smith, Studio Nicholson and Belstaff among many others.

As the only industrial-scale knitwear factory established in London since World War II, Albion has been a trailblazer bringing back knitwear production to the UK, the cradle of the industrial revolution and birthplace of industrialised knitwear manufacturing.

Choosing the Isle of Man: A strategic move

“We are thrilled to bring our operations to the Isle of Man. Our decision to relocate here started with a visit during Isle of Man Tourist Trophy (TT) of 2023. Following our initial conversations with Business Isle of Man, it became clear that the Island is an attractive operation location due to its pro-business inward investment policies, stable economy and welcoming HR environment,” said Chris Murphy, Director of Albion.

“We have been truly touched by the positive reaction of everyone we have met on the island and their help and enthusiasm to make our relocation a success. Moreover, the Isle of Man provides the quality of life that both I and our employee’s desire.”

“We have been supported by Business Isle of Man, and wider Isle of Man Government throughout the last eighteen months, to establish a robust transition plan in moving Albion to the Isle of Man to ensure its continued success.”

“We are already working with local partners to fit out the new factory and in the second half of the year we will be looking to recruit and train as many local staff as possible who have some experience in or aptitude for knitwear. Our London operation will be repurposed to establish a knitwear training school which we hope will feed talent into our companies both in Isle of Man and overseas.”

Investing in the Future: Barrule House and job creation

The company has purchased Barrule House, located near the Ronaldsway Airport in Ballasalla, part of the Airport Technology Gateway. Albion plans to invest and develop the site on condition of planning permission, regenerating ageing building stock in the south of the Island.

The Department for Enterprise has offered conditional grant assistance through its Financial Assistance Scheme to support the company’s set up on the island.

A unique opportunity for the Isle of Man

“We are delighted to welcome Albion to the Isle of Man. This is a true first for the Island and will bring with it a wealth of knowledge and experience, as well as a new career path for the creative sector. The Isle of Man’s Economic Strategy calls for diversification of the economy and the Manufacturing sector has a long history of contributing to innovation making us unique among competing jurisdictions,” said The Minister for Enterprise, Tim Johnston MHK.

Looking Ahead: Showroom and training school

By 2025, pending planning permission and development, Albion will be fully operational on the Isle of Man. Simultaneously, the company will maintain a showroom and establish a knitwear/textiles training school in London.

The Albion Knitting Company was founded in Haringey, London in 2014 in response to the need for localised production and is the flag bearer of a renaissance of luxury knitwear Made in England. Albion was founded by Christian Murphy and Jamie O’Neill with investment from the Alpha Tops Group an international textile company with its head office in Geneva, Switzerland active in the trade of cashmere, alpaca and mohair.

Albion is a fully vertical knitting, linking and wet finishing plant equipped with Mentasti washing, drying and automatic pressing tables, linking and cup seaming. The company is capable of producing 60,000 fully fashioned flat knitted garments annually to the highest quality standards.

www.albionknit.london