Growth specialist practises what he preaches
A BUSINESSMAN who has specialised in helping SMEs grow has taken a leaf out of his own book and now has a portfolio of three companies with a combined revenue of more than £1.5m.
Paul Norris acquired Bolton furniture frame manufacturer Formston Evans in late 2014 and after one year’s trading increased income by 15% to £537,000.
Norris, who also runs Manchester growth consultancy Gerron, said the company is on course for turnover of almost £790,000 this year.
Meanwhile, the ambitious 53-year-old businessman has also acquired joinery and building firm J Phillips & Sons in Westhoughton, near Bolton recently. That company already had a revenue of £300,000 and Norris is already seeing demand for its services soaring.
And he has now taken a 60% stake in Loco Jones, a company specialising the prestige fit-outs in various locations, notably including Manchester city centre.
He has gone into partnership with talented designer Gary Macpherson who has carried out work at a string of high profile venues, including the exclusive LIV nightclub on Peter Street, Manchester, and other city centre outlets like the Elixir bar on Deansgate, and a string of contracts for Barber Barber, which has a shop in Barton Arcade and others in Liverpool, Leeds and London.
Work has also been carried out at French restaurant 63 Degrees, patisserie Bisous-Bisous in Didsbury, Manchester, and advertising agencies Loaf Creative and BJL.
Norris has now created a holding company branded Sobecamo, using the first two names of his and his wife Cathryn’s four children.
“We on course for a total revenue of £1.5m,” said Norris. “Productivity and growth at Formston Evans has been phenomenal since we took over and the workforce have been fantastic by getting behind our efforts to grow the company 100%.
“The three businesses are complementary in that there is high quality wood installations involved and there are various processes which can be carried out for all of them from one site.”
