SUPPLIER PROFILE | Harrison Bathrooms
of the main reasons behind the company’s recent six-figure investment in a showroom at the Leeds HQ. Designed to inspire and enthuse retailers and their customers, the showroom features a vast array of Scudo product in lifestyle settings. ”Since opening, we’ve already seen a noticeable increase in retailers buying full displays from us, rather than just the odd product,” he says. “For a young brand like us, of course, the initial sell can be trickier. With the price point and the margin opportunities we’re offering, retailers think there’s a catch with the quality, which is why, when they actually see the product, we win display space – because they understand there’s no compromise on quality, it’s just that we’re going direct to them from the factory.
“Having the showroom next to our
warehouse also allows retailers to appreciate the amount of stock we hold, which enables us to meet next- day delivery requirements.”
For its Scudo portfolio, Harrison Bathrooms works with a range of third- party designers and has the products manufactured in the UK, Europe, and the Far East.
Corcoran is open about the fact that, until now, the bulk of the Scudo portfolio had predominantly been manufactured in the Far East. “Within the next few months, we will be importing more product from Europe than we do from China,” he explains. “That decision was partly due to the rising, post-pandemic freight costs, but also because we just want more stability in our pricing and to ensure we can meet the needs of our retailers.”
FACT FILE: Harrison Bathrooms
• Established in 2013, Harrison Bathrooms supplies independent retailers across the UK
• Based in Leeds, it delivers more than 500 products within 24 hours to UK showrooms via its 18-van delivery fleet
• Increased its stockholding by 40% to over 150,000
• Over 21 years’ experience sourcing product from the UK, Europe, and the Far East
• On track to meet its £40m turnover target by 2023 • Harrison Bathrooms was ranked 53rd in the Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 league table in 2018 and 63rd in 2020
Corcoran also acknowledged the rise in raw material costs hitting the sector and how Harrison Bathrooms, specifically, is dealing with them. “We are looking to source different product that isn’t so affected by price rises,” he explains. “However, where that isn’t possible and where the increase is just too much for us to absorb – like with the brass and copper price hikes – we will, inevitably, have to pass some increases on to our customers.”
Competition
Though Corcoran makes a very convincing argument of the USPs of Harrison Bathrooms and its Scudo brand, the fact is that the market is brimming with distributors and branded and unbranded bathroom product. So, is there room for everyone and
how do they intend to stay relevant and ahead of the competition? “The market isn’t big enough for
everyone,” he says matter-of-factly. “The market isn’t growing 20 to 25% per year like we are, so we must be taking share from other businesses. “The benefit we have is that, once retailers start using us and realise how much margin they can get through us, they realise it just makes business sense and that’s just a constantly evolving cycle. “It’s still the independents that drive the brands or products they sell and, if they have the chance to make more profit out of selling one over another, why wouldn’t they choose the one that gives them more?”
According to Corcoran, it’s not just the margin opportunities that make Harrison Bathrooms a good supplier to deal with. The fact that – in structure at least – it is a relatively small company means that they are agile and can react quickly to any changes in the market. “James [Harrison] is heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the business which is a huge plus,” he explains. “None of the management team works out of an office, so we’re approachable and have a very open and honest culture here, which just helps get things done – fast. “Because we’re so directly linked to retailers, we get more feedback on the products they want us to bring out – usually to fill a gap in the market. We make decisions quickly, accurately, and efficiently that directly impact the business and that of our customers.” Though independent retailers and merchants remain the core business, to achieve its £40m target by 2023 the company is investing in its sales team to pursue growth and sees opportunities in the specification market.
30 · August 2021
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