Standing the
test of time From one man making brooms from his home in the 1800s to employing people from all over the world today, this Leicestershire company made it through the pandemic thanks to 160 years of business experience WORDS BY KERRY SMITH
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ou may not know it, but the broom in your cupboard was most likely made by Leicestershire company Charles Bentley & Son, for sale in many big-name retailers. More than 13.4m brooms have been manufactured by Charles Bentley – and that’s just over the last 15 years. The company has factories and employees all over the world and supplies internationally, which is a major leap coming from the cottage industry 160 years ago when owner Charles Bentley’s very own great, great grandfather produced 24 brooms a day from his Loughborough workshop. “I’ve not been around for all 160 years personally,” Charles laughs. “But this is a sixthgeneration family business, which is quite unusual in itself.” The current Charles Bentley worked with his father to build what is now the largest brushware company in the UK. Trusted partners of many high street and online retailers, Charles Bentley, with factories in the UK, China and Sri Lanka, has always been quick to adapt. As the internet grew, the business developed online sales rather than depending on
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WHEN YOU SHAKE UP NEW IDEAS WITH THE TRADITIONAL, YOU GET A COMPANY THAT HAS STOOD THE TEST OF TIME
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wholesale business and ventured into new areas such as garden, home, pets, and play. Named BuyDirect4U, this online arm eventually joined under the Charles Bentley brand. Head of Marketing Kelechi Okereke explained: “BuyDirect4U was incredibly profitable as a functional purchasing journey. Now under the Charles Bentley brand, it’s more emotive, inspiring, and lifestyle. We’re establishing ourselves as a loved UK brand, and the way we’re perceived by shoppers has changed positively, which has culminated in an increase in average basket spend, repeat purchase, and loyalty.” The team now has its own photography studio, complete with garden scenery to produce lifestyle imagery for the brand and its retail partners. It’s this kind of forward-thinking that saw them through the pandemic. HR Manager Claire Perry says: “We started night shifts for the first time and employed people from students to those who were in the airline industry to keep up with online orders. Staff numbers increased by 15%, totalling 165.”
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Andrew Steel, eCommerce Director, says: “There was a challenging increase in orders. The company was built to be scalable, but not as fast as the pandemic demanded. We saw a 200% increase in orders received in April 2020.” During the lockdowns, the market turned to home improvement, gardening, and DIY. Steve Law, Sales Director comments: “Seemingly everyone decided to be the next Handy Andy, and with many carrying out DIY tasks for the first time we were able to leverage our exposure in those categories in retailers across the UK and Europe. We secured new retailers for our decorating products, marking and fixings ranges, Marxman and Gripit, and launched a plastic-free home cleaning range in conjunction with the Marine Conservation Society.” The team is a key supplier to the NHS and also donated £10,000 to Leicester’s new Children’s Hospital. Sadie Pollard, Finance Director said: “It’s been difficult for everyone globally over the last 18 months, but we’ve managed to be successful so it’s important to us to give back to the community – and what better way than supporting the new Children’s hospital.” On a final note, Charles adds: “When you shake up new ideas with the traditional, you get a company that has stood the test of time, hopefully for another 160 years.” NICHE | 67
