C. and J. Clark Ltd, better known as Clarks, is a British shoe manufacturer and retailer based in Street, Somerset, England. For the year ended 31 January 2008 the company made a profit of £111 million on sales of £1,053 million, making it the 35th largest private company in the UK. It is 81% owned by the Clark family, with the remaining 19% held by employees and related institutions.
Started in 1825, by Quaker brothers Cyrus and James Clark, as ...
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C. and J. Clark Ltd, better known as Clarks, is a British shoe manufacturer and retailer based in Street, Somerset, England. For the year ended 31 January 2008 the company made a profit of £111 million on sales of £1,053 million, making it the 35th largest private company in the UK. It is 81% owned by the Clark family, with the remaining 19% held by employees and related institutions.
Started in 1825, by Quaker brothers Cyrus and James Clark, as a business making sheepskin rugs and slippers, using out-workers in the village, it has expanded to become a global shoe brand, with operations in the United States, Europe and the Far East.
For much of the life of the business, the company manufactured its own shoes in Somerset, building several factories in the area. The company's Quaker ethos made provision for workers' housing, education and leisure activities, while its keen social conscience kept Street 'dry' for many years. Rising costs and low productivity forced production abroad, and...
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