Furniture maker Saracen branches out

A SMALL family furniture manufacturer and supplier is expanding after a leap in orders from international customers.

Bolton-based Saracen Leather Furniture, based in Glebe Street, has extended its premises and invested in online marketing, after securing finance from Yorkshire Bank.

Saracen designs, manufactures and sells leather chairs and sofas, including the prestigious Chesterfield brand, has bought two commercial units adjacent to its current base to give it additional capacity.

Managing director Brian Henry, said: “The market place has changed a lot and we’re now doing a much larger percentage of our business online and we’ve invested in a new website to maximise these opportunities.

“We will ship our furniture anywhere and we’ve recently had orders from Dubai, Russia and China, nations that are getting wealthier and are increasingly looking to the UK for quality goods and services.

“Consumers in these new markets are becoming very selective, so as a small manufacturer of high-end furniture we are well placed to take advantage of this.”

Phil Tarimo, regional director for Yorkshire Bank, said: “Small family businesses like Saracen are the backbone of British industry and it is very encouraging to see the company opening up new markets both at home and abroad using the power of the internet.

“The business has seized upon a quality opportunity to grow and we’re very pleased to be supporting it.”

Saracen was established in 1994 and supplies to both consumer and contract markets.

Mr Henry’s wide Tina and son Leon both work in the business, which also has an additional two staff.