business success
Why the luxury furniture business is made to measure
When Khushal Ahmed arrived in the UK from Afghanistan nearly 15 years ago, he had little more than £20 in his pocket and the sewing skills he had learnt in the clothing trade
Fast forward to today, and he is the owner of The Sofa & Chair Company, a London- based manufacturer of luxury, hand-crafted furniture which, in the year to March 2016, chalked up a £16 million turnover.
Having spent half of his original money on a meal from McDonald’s, Ahmed’s first step was to find a job and he began working for a small furniture company, learning a new trade while also improving his fledgling English.
He quickly spotted an opportunity in the market and, after deciding to start his own business, soon gained a reputation for bespoke craftsmanship and quality. Before long, he took on additional staff and opened his first premises, a 16,000 sq ft warehouse in Acton.
Speaking on behalf of the company, a spokesman said: “Everyone said he was crazy, to go from a small operation in a double garage to a large warehouse, but Kushal’s view was that he had seen many hardships in his life and this was a risk he was happy to take. Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength.”
As the name suggests, the original focus was on designing, manufacturing and selling sofas and chairs, and clients were interior designers working on major projects for private and commercial clients.
In January 2016, Ahmed took the decision to expand into much larger premises in Park Royal, a move which saw a complete overhaul and refurbishment of the building in just 12 weeks.
The new gallery showroom officially opened in May, showcasing dozens of different styles, accessories and room sets, from bedrooms to dining rooms, living rooms to commercial premises.
Although 70% of sales is still via interior designers, the new venture is also open to the public, by appointment only.
“Clients can now visit us and be inspired by everything we have to offer,” continued the spokesman. “Furnishing your home is about seeing, feeling and smelling the pieces. As
Kerry Hill, Nick Leonard and Cliff Williams Showroom
far as we are aware, no-one else offers the opportunity to come to one site and see such a full range of luxury furniture. It really is the A-Z of design, from carpets and rugs, to wallpaper, sofas, lighting and accessories.”
The success of the new venture has seen sales increase 40% month on month and Ahmed’s target is to achieve 50% growth across every area, from the number of sales and products, to the number of people (now 230) that the business employs.
One of the company’s USPs is that everything is designed and handmade by craftsmen within the M25. The in-house design team produce bespoke pieces to fit the most discerning of homes and businesses, while many of its carpenters come from European countries with a strong heritage of craft skills.
Helping to play a key role in the success of the business is Barclays. As well as providing day-to-day banking and credit card facilities, the bank has assisted with working capital and asset finance provision, in addition to mortgage facilities. It has helped the company buy equipment such as a CNC machine, which has helped to automate the pattern cutting process.
“Barclays has always been very supportive and helpful when it comes to giving advice – normally when your bank manager comes to see you it can be a bit of a chore, but for us,
Barclays is a trading name of Barclays Bank PLC and its subsidiaries. Barclays Bank PLC is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register No 122702). Registered in England. Registered number is 1026167 with registered office at 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP. November 2016.
it’s something to look forward to,” concluded the spokesman.
Eric Thetford, relationship director Heathrow, Slough & Surrey Corporate Banking, concluded: “The Sofa & Chair Company is very successful and very good at what it does in a niche area. We have been delighted to be able to support its growth and look forward to continuing to work with the company in the future.”
Harmeet Singh Gill 020 8993 4415
harmeet@thesofaandchair.co.uk thesofaandchair.co.uk
Eric Thetford 07775 545960
eric.thetford@
barclays.com barclays.com
The views expressed in this article are the views of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Barclays Bank PLC Group nor should they be taken as statements of policy or intent of the Barclays Bank PLC Group. The Barclays Bank PLC Group takes no responsibility for the veracity of information contained in the third party guides or articles and no warranties or undertakings of any kind, whether express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information given. The Barclays Bank PLC Group takes no liability for the impact of any decisions made based on information contained and views expressed.
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businessmag.co.uk
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – NOVEMBER 2016
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