Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Housewares supplier What More UK has added Sweden to its list of export markets. It is the 64th country that the Lancashire-based company, which makes plastic household goods under Wham brand, now exports to.
What More UK said: ‘A large order for garden planters from one of Sweden’s key retailers allowed us to tick the Scandinavian nation off our target list, with the confident expectation of further orders.’
The firm began exporting in 2008 and its international success was given a royal seal of approval in 2014 when it achieved the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. Last month it was also recognised as Outstanding Exporter of the Year by the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.
A short video showcasing What More’s manufacturing capabilities has also been chosen to help launch a new online TV channel for UK Trade and Industry (UKTI), the Government department which advises and encourages UK exporters. ‘Export TV’ will be promoted through Britain’s global network of foreign embassies.
What More UK director Tony Grimshaw said: “Adding Sweden to our growing list of export markets is a great way to start the New Year. It’s testament to the hard work of our colleagues both at our offices in Padiham and our manufacturing facility just up the road at Altham, where an obsessive attention to quality helps us to win new customers for our products around the world.”
Promoting its range of more than 650 products at major trade shows attracting key international buyers is another core element of What More’s export strategy and it is now heading into a busy show period.
“At the beginning of next month we’ll be exhibiting at the Spring Fair at the NEC in Birmingham, easily the UK’s biggest annual trade show for the home and gift industry,” added Tony Grimshaw.
“From there we go straight to the Ambiente show at Frankfurt in Germany, which is Europe’s leading trade show for our market, and then in March we will make our USA trade show debut at the International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago.
“Exhibiting at these shows is a massive logistical exercise, but you have to take your products to where the world’s buyers will see them. We hope that Sweden will be the first of several new countries added to our export list in 2016.”
