Sporting events like Wimbledon and the World Snooker Championships could be affected after strikes were announced at a 250 year-old UK firm that makes baize for snooker tables – and tennis ball felt. WSP Textiles, which has factories in both Stroud and Dursley, in Gloucestershire, produce some of the most famous sporting cloth in the world – Strachan cloth for baize and Playne’s woven felt for tennis balls.
They claim their tennis ball felt is used by firms like Wilson, Slazenger, and Dunlop, at tournaments including “Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open“. Meanwhile their historic baize felt “has been the choice of the World Snooker Championships since 1980” and covers tables at the World Snooker Tour tournaments in the UK, USA and China.
Read more: Rachel Reeves blamed as construction sites left in chaos – ‘perfect storm’
Read more: UK fears £11 billion of construction projects could ‘grind to a halt’
WSP Textiles offices in Stroud, Gloucestershire (Image: Google)
But more than 50 workers at WSP Textiles are on strike this week and next (February 2-7 and 11-13) over a pay dispute, after the company offered just a 2.35 per cent pay offer amid the current cost-of-living crisis.
Most workers earn little more than the minimum wage, and the Unite union claims they “have not had an above-inflation pay rise in years.”
The current strike action follows nine days of strikes by the company last month, from January 12-20, and again on January 22 and 23.
Previous strikes dates saw the factories grind to a halt – and with nine more days planned this month, sporting tournaments this summer could be at risk as production comes to a standstill and orders go unfulfilled.
Unite said WSP made nearly £1.4 million in profits in 2024, with over £23 million of revenue. The highest paid director at the company earns nearly £100,000 yet production line workers earn under £13ph.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Workers at WSP do an extremely skilled job that allows highly-paid sports stars to bring pleasure to millions around the world.
“This is a profitable company which is attempting to deny its workers fair pay. Our members will have the full support of their union in this fight.”
WSP Textiles said its offer reflected “tough trading conditions”. The firm’s chief executive Duncan Kettell said the company had a good record on pay.
“Our offer reflects challenging business conditions at the moment and what we can afford,” he added.
Kettell said he wrote to all of the firm’s employees in early-December outlining the reasons for its pay offer and confirming its board would work with the union to try to resolve the issue.
“As far as I can remember, strike action here at WSP Textiles is a first, but I’ve made it clear that the door remains open should the union bring a new proposal to the table,” he said.
Italian Jannik Sinner wins the 2025 Men’s Singles at Wimbledon (Image: Getty)
Regional officer for the Unite union Michael Hobbs said the organisation was a profitable company and said the offer was “nowhere near an inflationary pay rise”.
Mr Hobbs said the offer was “not good enough” for a company which “had a turnover of about £23m and in 2024 returned a £1.4m profit after tax”.
“They’re not short. All we ask for is a fair increase,” he added.
Mr Hobbs went on: “WSP has failed to recognise the anger among its workforce. Given it has failed to make a fair pay offer, our members are forced to take further strike action.
“WSP need to come back to the negotiating table with a much better offer, or major tennis and snooker events will be under threat and WSP will be rightly blamed.”
On their website WSP Textiles explains they have a “250 year old heritage and global reach. We sell to over 40 countries worldwide and have associates based in Singapore and Beijing.”
The Strachan family bought Lodgemore mills in Stroud in 1865, which remains an operational site today and is their headquarters.
The Strachan of Stroud trademark was first registered in 1890 and their Strachan brand today is the “benchmark in quality for snooker and pool.”
They add: “Playne’s is our tennis brand, the history of which dates back to 1759 when the Playne family bought mills in the Stroud valleys from where modern day woven tennis felt was originally made.
“We are partners with some of the biggest names in the tennis and billiard industry. Dunlop, Slazenger, Wilson, and Babolat. World Snooker, Beijing XingPai (Star brand) and Joy in China. Thurston/Peradon and Suzo Happ in the UK.
“Strachan cloth has been the choice of the World Snooker Championships since 1980. We are members of the International Tennis Federation and connected with National, Regional and International Billiard Federations.
“Playne’s woven felt is selected for Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open.”
Day Twelve: The Championships – Wimbledon 2024 (Image: Getty)