One of the town's best known employers closed it's doors in 1999 some 30 years after opening them. It was a bitter blow to the community but the company worked hard to ease the pain.

The Levi-Strauss plant in the heart of the Murraysgate industrial estate was a very visible sight at the west end of Whitburn not only in the size of building but also the large Levi's logo on the sides of the building and the large numbers employed. At the end of a shift it was some sight seeing a whole stream of workers (mainly women) filtering out in their blue overalls. It was like a long line of worker ants, one after the other. Sadly, this has all gone with the plant closing it's doors in December 1999.

The official opening of the plant took place in the summer of 1969 and was attended by Walter Mooromsky, who was presented with a commemorative silver plaque engraved with the Arms of the Burgh of Whitburn from Provist Boyle. The opening was also attended by Tam Dalyell MP, who returned on 1 July 1989 for a special 20th anniversary event. By October 1969 3 months after moving into the plant there were 120 employees. 20 years later this had expanded to 460 and by the time the plant closed there were 586. The qualities shared by former Levi's employees can be seen from the fact that inside 5 months of the plant closing its doors over 65% of the people affected at Whitburn (and through downsizing at Levi's Bellshill plant) had found either new employment, were in training or had become self-employed or had retired. Just over 20% remained unemployed while the rest had not responded to requests for up-to-date information on their status.

The reasons for closure are not complex and unlike other closures, take-overs etc there was nothing mysterious, political or under-handed about the whole affair. The bottom line was that traditional western type jeans made at Whitburn were out of fashion. There was a declining market demand due to changes in young consumer fashion spending. Some people call it the Jeremy Clarkson syndrome. The former BBC Top Gear presenter was always seen in blue jeans and youngsters didn't like the idea of wearing something that their fathers would wear. There was also world-wide overcapacity in denim manufacturing.

Within two years of opening, Whitburn was producing 20,000 jeans per week and by 1989 it was up to 74,000 pairs per week. That is a phenomenal 3.8 million pair of jeans in one year coming from one factory. At that rate it would only have taken about 15 years to cloth every person in Britain in Levi jeans. Now that would have been a marketing man's dream.

Between 1996 and 1998 demand for denim jeans in Western Europe fell by 33 million pairs which was a 13.8% drop from 1996. By the end of 1999, denim jeans consumption was forecast to drop a further 3.9% (8 million pairs) with another projected drop of 7% over 2000/2001. This would bring annual denim sales for the total industry down to approx. 184 million pairs in 2001 compared to a peak of 238 million in 1996. the Whitburn closure was forced upon the company by a substantial decrease in jeans buying by a shrinking European youth population, projected to decline by a further 5% by 2004, and a marked shift away from denim jeans as a fashion item (Jeremy Clarkson syndrome). In addition, discretionary spending on things like electronics, Play Stations, leisure activities and travel have affected all jeans manufacturers, along with increased competition from sports brands, designer labels and "own-label" brands.

Unlike some other large notable firms in the Lothian area, the closure although regrettable has been done with a great deal of sensitivity and Tam Dalyell MP actually phoned the company to express his regret but also to comment positively on the professional and sympathetic approach devoted by the company to the closure announcement and the needs of the workers affected.

There is no intention of levelling the former Whitburn plant and there has been some housekeeping tidying in readiness for potential prospective purchasers.

Although Levi's manufacturing presence in Whitburn no longer exists, the company's name and memory will live on in many local minds. For this reason, Levi's have presented a number of historic items from the plant to West Lothian Council's Museums Service to be put on public display. These include the first and last pairs of denim jeans made at the Whitburn, archive photos spanning the years, video footage of TV ads screened in Scotland over 3 decades (Flat Eric included ?) and a commemorative book containing more than 130 years of Levi's images and graphics. The photo shows Councillor Robert Gamble, Convenor of the Council's Museums Committee and Museums Development Officer Sarah Vince receiving some of the items from former plant manager Julie Drysdale.

All images used with the permission of Levi Strauss & Co Media Centre.