FEATURE
industry. Something his son, Paul points to as something that helped them weather COVID, “I’ve never experienced anything like that before. I could have easily made so many wrong calls but my Dad who has been through two or three recessions, seen peaks and troughs through the trade used his years of experience to say, this isn’t forever, the boom will come back the other way, and when it does, that’s when the hard work starts,” he said.
If Bob could go back in time and give his younger self a piece of advice, it would be not to keep working as long as he has, “I keep getting told now that I’ve got to slow down,” he said. Despite advice and well wishes, he doesn’t show many signs of slowing down. In fact, when he had a stent fitted, he was back at work the next day. Today, Bob Elliot & Co can be found in Chorley, a move made around 16 years ago. It was a huge move for the business and testament to the loyalty of their staff. For many, who were based in Wigan at the time, it added around 40 minutes travel to the new premises. The current HQ started as one unit and today, they also rent next door. This expansion came when they launched their in-house wheel brand following the closure of their supplier. They have also recently opened an off-site unit to manufacture KX wheels.
What many might not realise, is that Bob still runs the business. Coming up to 75, Bob is still very involved, supported by John and Paul. Although he trusts them to make key decisions, he keeps them grounded. One thing that hasn’t changed is their attitude to relationships, especially with suppliers and dealers, “We’ve
22 | March 2025
got a culture, morals and ethics here and they’ve not really changed. We are B2B and for the trade, nobody else. We don’t want to go direct, we don’t want to muddy the waters, but we’re always mindful that one day, that may change,” said Paul “Over the years I’ve seen companies that sell direct, but I’ve always believed that we shouldn’t do that because we’re taking the bread and butter out of shops, we support IBDs,” said Bob. Standing true to their values may be in part, a big part of why they’ve seen growth, success and support throughout the years. “One thing we’ll never do is race to the bottom,” said Paul. Bob Elliot stands by the fact they look after people as best as they can. They don’t rip people off and won’t put themselves in trouble if they can help it. All decisions are considered and there are no investors to worry about. They
have a clear, dynamic model and know where they stand at all times. “It’s important for us to look after every trade customer the same, regardless of size,” said Paul.
With a focus on good service, offering 24-hour delivery and allowing shops to order with smaller postage fees, Bob Elliot has customers who often order once a day. In fact, 2024 was a great year for the business. But what about the future? “The business will be passed onto the boys and I’ll slow down a bit, but I’ll still be there,” said Bob. Bob Elliot isn’t just his name, it’s his legacy and part of his future. With progression in mind, the business aims to continue growing organically, “We don’t want to stand still, so we either develop the ranges we’ve got with the suppliers we work with, or look elsewhere, so hopefully the future is bright,” said Paul.
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