A West Midlands furniture manufacturer is carving out a name for itself by launching a branded range of bespoke kitchen items, following support from Business Link Black Country.
Bowood Cabinet Company, on Crescent Works Industrial Park, Wednes-bury, has been making kitchen cabinets for independent studios for four years.
Following support from BLBC, including £3,000 from the European Regional Development Fund, Bowood recently launched its "mykitchen" brand, which enabled them to offer the finished product to retailers.
"Bowood has a reputation in the industry for high quality. This new departure builds on that and has allowed us to become the latest manufacturer to start supplying branded furniture to high street retailers," said John Barker, finance director.
BLBC has provided advice and support to Bowood since it began in 2002, including a grant of almost £9,000 through West Midlands Manufacturing Challenge for process improvement. The support enabled the company to expand considerably, during which time its number of employees has grown from six to 18 and turnover has more than doubled from £662,000 in its first full year to a forecasted £1.5 million in the year to the end of September.
BLBC business advisor David Edgar said: "Bowood has traditionally made cabinets for the kitchen industry - supplying the cabinetry and all the accessories.
"They enlisted our help in terms of business strategy and diversification and we offered them a range of options which helped them to go it alone with their own bespoke product range."
Amongst the package of support provided, BLBC has helped the company to reorganise by putting them in touch with a consultant and also helped the company to develop a strategy for growth.
Mr Barker said the reorganised production line and improvement in work flow had also helped to boost unit numbers.
"Everyone at the company has worked very hard to get us where we are now, but it has been extremely helpful to have had such a significant shoulder to lean on as BLBC.
"At a time when all we seem to hear is doom and gloom about the region's manufacturing, I am proud to say we are one of the many Midlands based manufacturing companies that are doing very well."
