Middle East next target for winning JD
JD Sports Fashion is on a journey to conquer the Middle East and Far East after winning the North West Business Masters Listed Companies Award.
Receiving the Cenkos Securities sponsored accolade from Simon French, JD’s executive chairman Peter Cowgill told a packed house at the Midland Hotel, Manchester ceremony the Bury-based company’s continuing success was down to “a great team and a great support structure focusing on key markets”.
JD is still riding high after reporting soaring festive sales at 12% and 12% growth year to date, supporting strong performance of merchandising skills, customer knowledge and relationship with suppliers.
“Internationally we’ve been extremely successful, we’re driving forward both in Europe and beyond,” said Cowgill. “We’re now starting to look at the Middle East and then the Far East.
“My advice to other retailers is: You’ve got to stick with and focus on what you’re really good at and try and identify you market and concentrate on that.”
Currently, JD Sports owns shops in Ireland, France, Spain and the Netherlands.
Other nominations is the Listed Companies category were Frenkel Topping and Flowtech Fluid Power.
If JD Sports is true to its roots, then so is Leigh-based Better Bathrooms, which is enjoying spectacular success backed up by its win in the NW Business Masters Fast Growth Business Award, sponsored by Influential and presented by its managing director Sara Wilde-McKeown.
Launched in 2001 by Colin Stevens, the company has become a household name through innovation and originality, while its owner has been proud to hire vibrant talent from the town of Leigh, where it is based.
And it is something of a rags to riches story for entrepreneur Stevens, who launched the company.
“I started the business in a bedroom with not a penny to my name, but we enjoyed very fast growth. Our turnover is £55m and we expect to be up to £100m within the next two years.”
We are aiming to open 30 nationwide stores with a total staff count of 500 in the next three to five years, and to conquer the European markets.
Other nominees in the Fast Growth category BioClinics, Designer Habitat, and ITS Technology Group.
