While Britain's manufacturing output is on the slide, New Balance stuck to its production of about 1.2 million pairs of footwear at its U.K. plant last year. The company said that this commitment had strongly contributed to growing consumer demand: New Balance's sales across Europe jumped by about 25 percent last year and they are budgeted to expand by another 20 percent this year. To meet the demand, which is also rising in Japan and China, New Balance has taken measures to raise the productivity at its plant in Flimby, Cumbria. Employing about 210 people and producing over 28,000 pairs a week, the plant is running at full capacity.

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