Further growth on the cards as kitchen manufacturer makes a move

TWO brothers who started a kitchen business in their spare room have moved to new premises and started manufacturing their own product lines.
 
Mick and Steve Larkin, founders of Larks and Larks, have moved into a 10,000 sq ft site in Chelmsley Wood, with financial support from Barclays.
 
The duo,  who are joiners by profession, set up the business in 2003 in the back bedroom of their Yardley, Birmingham, home. Two years on, it became necessary for them to expand into their mother’s home in Kitts Green, converting an existing lean-to. 

At the time, the brothers were supplying made to measure kitchen doors to customers around the UK. During the recession the business grew enormously with profits growing 80% year on year, as people were improving their existing homes rather than moving.
 
This prompted a move into their first commercial premises which offered them 2,000 sq ft of warehousing and showroom space.
 
As the business continued to grow, the brothers became concerned about increasing issues with manufacturing suppliers and took the decision to begin manufacturing themselves so they could manage the process end to end.
 
With support from Barclays, the brothers have purchased the new premises which allow for warehousing, manufacture and a showroom.

They have also invested £250,000 in equipment which means that all manufacturing is now done in-house which has created two new jobs.

And the duo plan to employ a further three people in the next 12 months as production grows.
 
In this financial year the business is on track to hit the £1m turnover mark – a figure the brothers believe they can triple in the next five years.
 
Mick Larkin said: “The recession proved to be a really successful period for us and people were choosing to spend money on their own homes.

“We are now in a privileged position that has enabled us to manufacture our own products. We still have ambitious plans for the business, and know this can only be achieved by our continued hard work.”
 
Ryan Gough, business manager at Barclays in Birmingham, said: “Steve and Mick have done really well. They are a great example of a business which has grown steadily over the years, kept costs and drawings to a minimum and focused their efforts on developing the business.”