Wallpaper maker Graham & Brown has Egypt covered
LANCASHIRE wall coverings manufacturer Graham & Brown, is ramping-up its international sales presence with a new store in Egypt as demand grows for British design.
The move follows the Blackburn company’s entrance into the North Africa region last year, when it opened new outlets in Libya’s Tripoli and Benghazi.
Sales from the new venture have already reached £1.5m and the family-owned company expects to have 15 showrooms operating in the country before the end of the year.
The group, whose British made wallpaper is now sold in 75 countries worldwide, said Egypt was part of its long-term growth strategy in the region. It is already planning to open outlets in Tunisia, Algeria and Israel over the next two years.
Chief executive Andrew Graham, who is one of UK Trade and Investment’s North West Export Champions said: ” “Major political reform is changing the landscape in North Africa. We’re seeing huge demand for British brands as more homeowners embrace Western tastes in interior design.
“Add to that a fast-growing urban population and a growing middle class, and you’ve got a strong export opportunity for British manufacturers with our kind of history and design credentials. It’s not an easy market to enter, but we’ve been developing partnerships there for several years and this approach is now paying dividends.”
The group’s products are retailed through major DIY multiples in the UK, North America and Europe, as well as over 200 Graham & Brown-branded distributor outlets across high-growth overseas markets.
As well as a 200,000 sq ft manufacturing and design centre in Blackburn, Graham & Brown operates sales offices in the US, France, Holland, Russia, Canada and China.
