Industrial battery company’s sales improve despite Covid crisis

A Staffordshire company specialising in industrial battery systems increased sales in 2020/21 despite a market downturn due to the coronavirus crisis.

While the market for motive power batteries was down around 25%, Hoppecke Industrial Batteries bucked the trend.

The Newcastle-under-Lyme company grew its sales by more than 15% compared with the previous financial year.

General manager Stuart Browne says: “It’s been a tough year, and like everyone, we’ve had to adapt. We’ve coped well due, in part, to key strategic planning to mitigate any fall out from Brexit.

“However, our achievement is largely thanks to a team effort to pull together and support customers throughout the pandemic.”

Hoppecke implemented robust plans to ensure it was prepared for Brexit. Over the course of 2020 the company geared up to ensure a seamless transition. As a result, it was business as usual from 1 January 2021.

Maintaining higher than average stock levels throughout the year ensured an uninterrupted supply for Hoppecke’s customers. This approach enabled the business to achieve more than 200% of its monthly sales target last December.

All employees have been retained, boosting business stability. Hoppecke has also taken on temporary workers in its warehouse and is planning to recruit more.

Browne added: “The nation is really getting to grips with the pandemic. I believe we’ve overcome the biggest challenges and am optimistic about the future. We’re hoping for a less volatile 2021/22 and look forward to seeing those customer businesses that have been most severely impacted by Covid-19 bounce back.”