amazing, considering the challenges we’ve had to face with transport costs and material shortages
‘‘
Our growth has been
LFI manufactures the PRo and TuFF ladder ranges for hire and professional users. ’’ UPWARDLY MOBILE
LFI is on track to deliver a blockbuster year. As the company prepares to make its EHS debut, Commercial Director Andy Ferris talks about trading and plans for the Big Show.
L
adders are many things, but you wouldn’t necessarily describe them as being sexy. Notwithstanding such concerns, LFI took the bold steps of dividing its portfolio to suit different uses and users, and introducing a highly distinctive branding throughout. Since doing so, the company has enjoyed two years of growth and has even boosted its market share at the same time. Insofar as any ladder can ever look sexy, then, they’re certainly en route to achieving it.
LFI will surely have one of the brightest stands at the show. But first I wanted to hear more about those blockbuster years. By how much and with what, I wondered?
“This year has been another record-breaker,
as per the previous year. In that time, the LFI brand has established itself as a worthy alternative to more established players in the aluminium access product market. Our rebranding has helped, but we’ve also focused on being better than our rivals, while maintaining stock and providing a good back up service. This has meant that customers have enjoyed a better experience than they might have had previously," Andy begins.
“Our growth has been amazing, considering the challenges we’ve had to face with transport costs and material shortages. However, we’ve worked closely with customers, to make sure they knew how pricing was likely to be affected, and why. Things have quietened down in the last quarter, but by the time this financial year closes I think we’ll be 10% ahead year-on- year.”
LFI now markets three distinct ladder lines, to suit domestic, hire and professional users – the ‘HoMe’, ‘TuFF’ and ‘PRo’ ranges, as they are capitalised and named. Which of these has proven the most popular?
The HoMe range suits domestic customers.
“The HoMe range is the smallest of the three, although they mainly sell through online retailers. PRo aluminium has seen the largest increase, although TuFF steel is
always our biggest seller. The product mix is a bit more even now – around 50% TuFF, 40% PRo and 10% HoMe," Andy explains.
LFI was somewhat unique, in having a substantial vintage crane looming across its yard. It was very much a landmark on the local skyline, although age and the cost of maintaining it in any kind of safe condition eventually led to its removal. It has freed up a lot of space, so what is the company planning to do with it?
“We’ve always been able to maintain a good stock, but we’re looking at building some additional material storage and finished goods warehousing. We haven’t progressed this yet because we’re having to increase our productivity to meet demand. We’re going to invest in more factory space and will then move finished items out of the factory and use the space for additional production lines. We’re looking to do all of this over the next 12 months.”
In spite the benefits, removing such a prominent feature is certainly a bold move. The company is also progressive in other ways, and it has done much to improve workforce wellbeing and social responsibility. “Our Sales Office Manager Candice O’Keeffe is a qualified yoga instructor, and
28 Executive Hire News - Jan/Feb 2022
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