Severn Park Mailing list:
SRS® Fibres
Fibre Marketing
The SRS® breeding system used at Severn Park delivers increasing volumes of superior performing fibres: stylish fibres now sought by increasing numbers of processors and retailers around the world.
Advanced SRS® fibres are characterised by:
- Superb softness.
- Bold, deep and uniform crimp.
- Bright and lustrous, with fluid uniform wax.
- Free, small and long staples, comprised of fibre bundles.
Such fibres deliver superior processing performance and enable product innovation, enhanced customer and product quality, and thus product differentiation. Customers are now seeking these fibres at premiums.
Results
1999 Severn Park ewe and wether hogget shearing (shorn at 18 months, no lambs tip)
| Top Bales included: |
Micron | Price C. | Curvatures ranged from 90 to 96 - placing all results in the advanced/elite range. |
| 1 | 16.4 | 2250 | |
| 1 | 16.6 | 2310 | |
| 2 | 17.1 | 1640 | |
| 9 | 17.9 | 1245 | Av. Wool cut/head = $53.20 of entire drop. |
| 2000 top fleece bales included: | Micron | Price C. | |
| 1 | 16.1 | 2350 | |
| 1 | 16.4 | 2120 | |
| 1 | 16.6 | 2500 | |
| 2 | 17.1 | 1751 | |
| 8 | 17.4 | 1442 | |
| 10 | 18.1 | 1500 |
Total clip from 2200 hoggets (no lambs tip) - aged 16 months - averaged 1100 cents/kg.
SRS® Premiums
Due to increasing recognition by Australian and overseas mills, keen demand for SRS® wools and part-SRS® wools is increasing, with consequent premium rewards. This has been experienced in the last two years by Severn Park and a number of clients.
Examples Year 2000 Premiums for SRS® wools at Severn Park:
- One line of 20.4 ewe and wether wool of 14 bales made 190 c above any other 20 micron on the selling day at Sydney in a large offering. Following keen competition by Itochu and EWI it was bought by EWI on behalf of Woolaby knitwear.
- Two comparative Severn Park lines sold same day:
- SRS®: 19.1 u -- 911 c.
- Part SRS®: 19.3 u -- 744 c.
- Itochu and EWI competed keenly on these lots. Each of the bidders represent a number of mills now keenly seeking SRS® wools.
The Itochu-SRS Alliance -
see also SRS System
Tony Wilson opening the 1999 Severn Park Sale
Following years of extensive trials and consequent outstanding results in processing, Itochu Wool Ltd and The SRS Company have formed a close working relationship to market SRS® wools. Itochu is, and has been for the last 34 years, the biggest buyer of Australian wool. In its pursuit of greater vertical integration, Itochu now owns the eastern wool broking firm, TWG Wool Pty Ltd.
Quote from the TWG February Newsletter, by Itochu Managing Director Tony Wilson:
"In supporting the push for genuine change to develop a finer, softer, lighter, prickle free product, ITOCHU is proud to announce an alliance with Dr Jim Watts of The SRS Company. Itochu, along with TWG Wool, recognises the need to bring the grower closer to the end user by vertical integration from fleece to fabric. We have close links throughout the pipeline right through to the retail end and wish to supply these processors, spinners, weavers, retailers and consumers with the right product. Itochu have linked with Dr Jim Watts to ensure the wool we buy will continue to perform through to the garment stage. Thus we will principally source the deep crimping, fibre bundling, soft handling wools from those growers that are members of The SRS company, and supply feedback wherever possible."
SRS Workshop Shearing Results at Severn Park
Results from three SRS workshops with Severn Park sheep reveal major $ implications of the SRS® breeding system.
In 1998, 1999 and 2000 14 month ewe hoggets were used, pre-tested midside. Sheep were typed into SRS® and Heavy-tights - representing deceptive performance (SRS®) versus traditionally judged dense wools or high stud performers (Heavy-tights). Wool was valued on each occasion by independent Wool Valuers.
| Type | Av.mic | GFW kg | Y% | CFW | CV% | Length mm | Curve | SDC | Av.fleece Val. |
| Results 1998: | |||||||||
| SRS® | 17.1 | 6.4 | 76.9 | 4.9 | 17.2 | 118 | $58.42 | ||
| Heavy-t | 18.7 | 6.2 | 64.2 | 4.0 | 21.5 | 105 | $29.60 | ||
|
Results 1999:
|
|||||||||
| SRS® | 17.2 | 6.9 | 76.2 | 5.3 | 17.1 | 125 | 74 | 45 | $90.43 |
| Heavy-t | 18.7 | 6.9 | 68.6 | 4.7 | 21.3 | 99 | 83 | 53 | $41.75 |
|
Results 2000:
|
|||||||||
| SRS® | 17.8 | 6.0 | 74.2 | 4.4 | 16 | 125 | 75 | $96.00 | |
| Heavy-t | 20.5 | 5.8 | 70.2 | 4.1 | 20.4 | 101 | 75 | $33.40 | |
Explanation of Terms:
Av.mic: average fibre diameter
GFW kg: greasy fleece weight
Y%: Yield (%)
CFW: clean fleece weight
CV%: CV fibre diameter (%)
Curve: fibre curvature
SDC: standard deviation fibre curvature
Implications
- SRS® sheep returned over double $ value of heavy-tights, ie Traditional stud sheep cost growers profits.
- $ value difference within the mob and between SRS® and heavy-tights was over 4 times (this difference exists in all mobs - a fact to focus on).
- SRS® sheep are finer and softer; longer and better waxed; more clean fibre; bolder, deeper crimped and more aligned; better style; twice as profitable.
Severn Park and End-User Involvement
Leading New York fashion designer Joseph Abboud
at Severn Park 1995
Since 1989 Charlie Massy has been a leading advocate for the production and differentiated marketing of high quality Merino wool fibres. Severn Park firmly believes its genetic development and fibre production must be constantly grounded in customer and end-user requirements.
| Hence our logo: |
|
a DNA strand (genetics) and 2-fold yarn (the customer). |
To this end Severn Park has close linkages with a number of Australian and overseas processors, designers, and other customers - including the world's biggest, Itochu, and the rapidly expanding specialist knitwear company, Woolaby Australia.
Major Demand-chain Fibre Marketing Developments
Realising that the combination of past cultural history, China's domination, and a subdued market were not recognising the superior performance and marketing attributes of SRS® and derived wools. Significant steps have now been taken by a wide range of people to differentiate and market this distinct segment. Following a range of developments, including a high-level approach by Austrade to assist in global market development of the SRS® segment, and a well-attended meeting of SRS® members and associated trade service personnel at Wagga in late April 2005, a number of major steps have now occurred to realise this exciting goal.
Following the generous levy-raising of about $100,000 by members of the SRS® community, a steering committee, combining business and wool marketing experience, is guiding the formation of a stand-alone marketing and trading company, Australia Natural Fibre Limited. A Leading textile and retail marketing consultant is guiding the finalisation of a Business Plan and the segmented marketing approach. Following firm commitments by down-stream partners, final yarn development and market-refining work is occurring for a range of products at the 17.5 to 20.5 micron range of high quality woven ecru fabric and knitwear yarn of SRS® wools. Whilst large-volume orders are being developed with early-stage, spinner-weavers and trade partners for wools up to 22 microns. Capitalisation and share-holding structures are now being finalised for the company before the steering group reports to SRS® members and breeders later this year.