British Manufacturing Alive and Kicking in the Promotional Merchandise Industry.
British manufacturers of promotional products from across the breadth of the UK are thriving and showing considerable increase over their foreign importers. As part of Promotional Products Week, the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) highlights some of these companies.
Blackpool based, SPS, a truly innovative company has launched 17 new brand extensions in recent times, which have already contributed to 10 per cent increase of its overall manufacturing sales. Now exporting to 41 countries SPS has created many new jobs in the North West with its UK Brite mat winning the coveted title of the most innovative product of the year.
Listawood based in Fakenham, produces over 80 per cent of its portfolio in the UK. Its 70,000 sq feet Norfolk factory is packed full of state of the art technology as well as supporting an inhouse research and development team. According to MD Alex Turner its UK manufacturing plant is quite unique adding: “We have invested over ?3m in technology, which enables us to offer faster response times with complete control of costs. The company has shown record growth and over 30 per cent of the company’s turnover is now generated overseas.”
Whereas Great Central Plastics, located in Daventry, has shown an increase in turnover of over 50 per cent highlighting the trend for UK made products. MD Tony Phillips added: “Our ability to work hand in hand with customers on projects that involve product designs and complex tooling is proving to be extremely successful. Our design and tooling department has never been busier and this is a direct consequence of the way we look at bespoke products. Additional staff have been employed in both the tooling and printing departments and the demand for more complex products has resulted in the acquisition of further ultra sonic welders.”
Juniper, whose head offices are in Northampton which specialises in quality leather and PU (polyurethane) products has seen a 33 per cent increase in sales, taken on three UK apprenticeships and three new production staff, invested in machinery and has just been awarded ISO 14001 and 9001.
Sanders Badges based in the Midlands have been manufacturing for over 200 years and produce over 1m badges each week. The company recently acquired London Emblem as well as employing an apprentice toolmaker, with Director Annabel Apperley adding: “Our toolmakers are highly specialised. We are now looking for other areas within our manufacturing company to see how other young people can further benefit.”
CHX Products from Cornwall is one of the leading UK manufacturers of fast turnaround plastic promotional products printed in full colour. Most recently the company has seen a 20 per cent increase in sales in the first six months of 2013 buoyed by a range of new bespoke products and its extended manufacturing capabilities, which has resulted in winning new clients and high-profile contracts.
To meet the demand of orders the company has realigned its structure by bringing in three new members of staff since the beginning of the year to support its continued growth.
Andy Knight, Managing Director of CHX Products, said: “There are huge opportunities open to us as we look forward to the future. We aim to grow over the coming years and are continually looking at new ways of expanding our range even further with the launch of even more new and exciting promotional products.”
High Profile from Banbury have seen a 22 per cent increase in sales. In July the company took on three new trainees all aged 19 on the Government sponsored Wage Incentive scheme to help youngsters get into work and now employs 39 members of staff compared to 34 this time last year. In April 2013 the company invested ?120,000 in a blow moulding machine to produce its own bottle range and sales of bottles have increased by 25 per cent. The company have also invested a further ?20k in new toolroom equipment to improve its tooling output with the aim to extend its product range.
Promotional Products are an ideal way of promoting a business, cause or message. Recent findings from the bpma show the effectiveness of promotional products. For more information go and visit the ppw website – www.promotionalproductsweek.co.uk
Published on: September 19th, 2013
