Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
EPE International has bought a new warehouse and is creating jobs with support from a £3 million loan from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.
The housewares distributor has acquired a 50,000sq ft unit at Euroway Trading Estate at Bradford in West Yorkshire, after outgrowing its current distribution centre located on the same scheme.
The company is also planning to hire 20 staff across different business functions, and is ‘reviewing opportunities for strategic acquisitions’.
EPE International operations & finance director Harry Singh said: “Having the new warehouse unit offers us the capacity to expand our market share. It follows steady expansion of our presence at Euroway Trading Estate; we now have three distribution centres at the scheme. Lloyds Bank has been an excellent partner throughout the business’ growth.”
Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking area director Samantha Ackroyd commented: “EPE International has managed to rapidly grow its market share over the last decade through its dedication to supporting customers and its in-house expertise of the sector.
“It actively provides customers with the insight needed to be more successful in their sales practices. This has resulted in better retention of clients, and a progressively larger customer base. We’re committed to helping Britain prosper by supporting businesses like this, which is why we’ve grown our net lending to SMEs [small and medium sized businesses] by 31% since 2011.”
EPE International launched in 2003 with two staff and today employs 60. With a turnover of more than £20 million, the firm attributes its success to working closely with domestic appliance brands such as Kenwood, De’longhi, Braun, Tefal, Russell Hobbs, Beko and Philips. It says it has also benefited from a rise in demand for kitchen appliances following the success of TV cooking programmes including ‘The Great British Bake Off’ and ‘MasterChef’.
The business, which distributes a total of 1,500 different products including coffee machines, toasters, kettles and cookware, was recently listed in the London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2018’ list. This report is an annual celebration of some of the fastest-growing and most dynamic SMEs across the UK.
L-R: EPE International operations & finance director Harry Singh, MP for Bradford South Judith Cummins, EPE International managing director Noel Pamment, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking area director Samantha Ackroyd
