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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees
Record results for kitchens company
A KITCHEN manufacturer has bucked the downturn to post a record financial performance. Dewsbury-based Rixonway Kitchens – the only UK kitchen manufacturer working solely in the affordable and social housing sector – lifted revenues by 23% to £29m for 2009/10 compared with the previous year while pre-tax earnings were up by more than 30% to £4.2m. Chief executive Paul Rose said that continuous investment in technology to drive efficiency and enhance service delivery is among the key ingredients of the company’s success. “Our customers expect high quality products and service and we constantly review our offer to ensure we remain ahead of our competitors. “A key factor in our growth is our ability to react quickly to customer requests and market changes. We have been successful in finding differentiators to set us apart from the competition.” Mr Rose said: “Despite undeniably tough times in the economy in early
2010, we have continued to grow the business over the first and second quarters securing a significant number of new long term contracts particularly in London and the south-east.” He said the company had factored expected cuts in public spending into its forecasts for the business and said he believed Rixonway was well-placed to increase market share. The firm, founded in 1978, makes more than 12,000 rigid kitchen units a week from its 170,000sq ft manufacturing facility in Dewsbury. Over the past two years the business has continued to recruit staff and now employs more than 400 as well as a nationwide team of 40 on-site designers. Earlier this year, the company was listed in the Sunday Times Deloitte Buyout Track ranking Britain’s 100 private equity-backed companies with the fastest-growing profits. Rixonway said its success was also due to continuous improvement in service and its environmental credentials. The firm is accredited to the Forest
to offer a bigger, better range of beds and mattresses, as well as improve its customer service. The new site includes a 40,000sq ft warehouse which will enable the business to treble its stock holding. Said Mr Warren: “This is an important stage in our future growth and the new warehousing facility will provide a solid platform from which to
Council pledge KIRKLEES Council has promised to continue helping firms develop their businesses – in the face of big public sector spending cuts. Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan said efforts to support companies in sectors such as manufacturing, construction and the creative industries would continue in a bid to avoid a “double dip” recession.
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■ KITCHEN CREW: Rixonway chief executive Paul Rose (front) with (from left) commercial director Julian Dudley, operations director Nick Greenall, sales and marketing director David Anderson and IT director Andy Pickard
Stewardship Council and international standard ISO14001. It also salvages all the wood waste from its production process. It has reduced lead times and achieved a consistent “on time in full”
delivery record of above 98%. The company has also invested in its IT infrastructure and installed sophisticated manufacturing planning software to further improve efficiency and reduce waste.
Beds firm comfortable with move to new site A COMPANY supplying beds and mattresses is expanding into new premises. The firm, time4sleep, was launched only in 2005 – but has already outgrown its site at Leeds Road and is moving to a new location at Milnsbridge. Owner Jonathan Warren said the move meant time4sleep would be able
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grow the business going forward. “This also gives the company the opportunity to expand on its own ranges of ‘next day delivery’ beds and mattresses. Mr Warren said: “It will provide greater efficiency in the fulfilment of orders and will enable us to provide a faster and more efficient service to our customers, which is critical in today's
market.” The firm will also be able to add new models to its range of bedroom furniture – including 10 new and exclusive bed frames, which will be available from the autumn. The new showroom, located on Colneside Business Park in Milnsbridge, will be open to the public from October. The company also sells online.
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Change directions A FIRM supplying commercial vehicles has got a new look. Brighouse-based Northern Commercials has recruited marketing agency Fantastic Media to give the company a new look as it expands into the Manchester area.
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