How ERA Group Helped Camira Fabrics Save Over £2.8 Million: A Directors Guide

All in a day’s work

It’s just after 10am and Anthony Croall, commercial director at Camira Fabrics, is walking us through the heart of the company’s headquarters in West Yorkshire. The place is a living archive of British textile legacy.

Surrounded by an impressive array of fabrics in every shade imaginable, he expertly guides us through the spaces filled with historic fabric artifacts, each telling its own story. As we move through the showroom, he proudly points to a shelf brimming with industry awards, each a testament to the company’s long-standing excellence. With a genuine passion for the legacy of Camira Fabrics and its forward-thinking vision, Anthony’s enthusiasm is evident in every step.

Among the stories he shares, one in particular stands out: Camira’s role as the sole supplier of seating fabric for the London Underground. Since the Tube first opened in 1863—the oldest metro system in the world—custom-designed moquette fabrics have been a hallmark of its carriages. Camira has continued that legacy in more recent decades, creating bespoke designs that reflect the character of each line. With over one billion passengers a year travelling more than 52 million miles annually across 270 stations and 11 lines, the Tube’s legacy is stitched into the fabric of London life. The carefully colour-coded moquette designs not only serve a practical purpose but have also become cultural icons in their own right—some even spanning multiple lines. It’s a legacy Camira proudly weaves into its own.

But the story of how ERA Group helped Camira Fabrics save over £2.8 million is where the real transformation lies…

The Problem with “Decentralised Control”

Years ago, Camira Fabrics faced significant challenges with rising costs, particularly in logistics and raw materials procurement. “One of the main challenges for me was the lack of central ownership over purchasing,” Anthony explains. “Different department managers were taking ownership of their own areas, but they weren’t necessarily trained in negotiation, and suppliers were able to dictate terms, including pricing.”

The outcome? Inflated supplier margins, inconsistent service provision, and a deficit in strategic visibility.

The Pivotal Moment: “Let’s Be Open to This”

The relationship with ERA Group didn’t begin with a grand overhaul. “We started with a small pilot project in Merchant Card Services—just to test how ERA’s process worked,” Anthony explains. The early savings and operational improvements caught his attention.

For instance, customer service agents were manually inputting card numbers into payment terminals. “ERA implemented technology that obviated this requirement. It represented a minor adjustment, yet a significant one,” states Clive Cowan, ERA’s lead partner for the project.

Subsequently, the opportunities proliferated.

It adopted a more transparent approach. We convened a board discussion, and our group sales and marketing director had a personal acquaintance with Clive, prompting us to engage ERA to ascertain if they could facilitate a broader perspective and enhance other operational aspects.

The ERA Group team didn’t just come in with a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, they worked closely with Anthony and his team to find savings without compromising on the quality and service that Camira Fabrics is known for. “We were very open-minded,” Anthony recalls. “We knew that if there were savings to be had, we’d explore them, but if not, we were happy to leave things as they were.”

£2.8 Million Realised Across the Business

Savings were not restricted to a single category. They encompassed areas ranging from merchant services to marketing print, logistics, and packaging.

Logistics: Over £2.4 million in savings—representing the most significant transformation overall.

Marketing Print: Over £453,000 saved, partly by removing obfuscation from incumbent suppliers. “One of their incumbent suppliers would only submit their prevailing prices, asserting to Camira that these represented the most competitive prices in the market. The tendering process yielded over 35% in savings, derived from both the primary incumbent and an alternative supplier. As one might anticipate, one of the incumbent suppliers was superseded.”

Merchant Card Services: Over £9,000 saved. This was the initial pilot that catalysed the wider initiative—yielding in excess of £9,000 in annual cost reductions and optimising workflows.

Packaging: £8,538 saved. Whilst modest in monetary terms, it was strategically pivotal in establishing trust in ERA’s methodology.

Logistics: From Off-Limits to High-Impact

For years, logistics was considered a restricted area. “I previously managed logistics and conducted my own review back in 2006, so I believed we were in a reasonably strong position,” Anthony admits. However, persistent customer service issues, service failures, and internal assessments revealed a different reality. With ERA’s support, a comprehensive multi-year project was initiated.

A trial with GLS courier services proved unsuccessful, challenging Camira’s operational robustness. “Our legacy system was incompatible with theirs. We were compelled to develop an entirely new interface solely for label printing. Ultimately, it proved unworkable,” Anthony recalls. However, this setback provided Camira with significant negotiation leverage. “We approached UPS again, stating, ‘These are our expectations.’ Consequently, we secured a more favourable agreement.”

Another route from Meltham to Belgium revealed that alternative suppliers were offering substantial savings. Leveraging this insight facilitated the renegotiation of more favourable rates with their incumbent provider.

Through expert negotiation and the introduction of alternative suppliers, transportation costs were reduced, and overall efficiency was enhanced. “There were instances where we believed certain routes were immutable, but ERA demonstrated that even within our existing supplier base, opportunities for cost optimisation existed,” says Anthony. “For example, a particular route to Lithuania presented a challenge. The initial trial encountered difficulties, but ERA persisted. They assisted us in identifying a superior solution that proved commercially viable for the business.”

What Makes ERA Different?

It transcends mere pricing; it is fundamentally about strategic alignment. Camira had sustainability accreditations to uphold. Changing suppliers was not merely risky; it could jeopardise brand integrity. “Steve Cummings, ERA’s paper expert, presented samples across the boardroom table — tactile quality, texture, and brightness — all were meticulously matched. This provided us with the requisite confidence to proceed.”

ERA engages only when a mutually beneficial outcome is assured. They never pursue unproductive avenues if there is no tangible value to be realised.

Transparency, Trust, and Timing

The relationship was not predicated on expediency, but rather on strategic timing. “If we required six months, ERA accommodated. If we paused operations during COVID, they exerted no pressure. They adapted entirely to our operational tempo,” says Anthony.

Not every project succeeded. Not every supplier was replaced. But every step added clarity. ERA also helped streamline procurement processes, particularly in raw materials. By challenging suppliers and renegotiating contracts, ERA Group enabled Camira Fabrics to uncover savings they previously missed.

“I once received a call from a supplier who proposed, ‘We’ll split the savings.’ It was then that I realised ERA had uncovered an opportunity we had previously overlooked,” Anthony states.

The real success came when these strategies combined to save Camira Fabrics over £2 million.

What’s Next?

The total impact was huge. We didn’t just save money. ERA Group helped us build stronger, more transparent relationships with our suppliers, and that’s made us more efficient.

Dyes and chemicals represent the next area of focus—complex and high-risk. “Modifying a chemical can alter the colour of a fabric. The initial round of potential savings is approximately half a million pounds, yet we might only implement £50,000. That is acceptable,” states Clive. “We consistently conduct a thorough investigation.”

Furthermore, logistics will undergo further evolution—particularly as major suppliers such as DB Schenker consolidate with DSV. “We shall evaluate it,” Anthony affirms. “We no longer have reservations regarding such developments.”

A Lasting Partnership

“We have collaborated with ERA for more than a decade,” Anthony reflects. “Their pragmatic approach and expertise have not only enabled us to realise cost efficiencies but also fostered more robust and transparent supplier relationships. This represents genuine value.”

As Clive concludes: “Some clients are apprehensive about change. Camira is not. This is precisely why this collaboration is effective.”

The partnership between ERA Group and Camira Fabrics has not only helped the company achieve significant cost savings but has also laid the foundation for ongoing collaboration. “It’s not just about saving money,” Anthony explains. “ERA worked with us to make sure we retained the quality and service our business relies on. There was real value in the relationship, and the results speak for themselves.”

As Anthony concludes, “I can confidently state that they have become an indispensable component of our business strategy. Their pragmatic approach and expertise have been instrumental in facilitating sustainable cost reductions while upholding the benchmarks for which we are recognised.”