More than 200 jobs to be created as part of sportswear brand’s expansion plans
A Coventry sportswear brand has revealed plans to create 200 jobs after seeing sales more than triple.
The entrepreneur who founded BOXRAW, which has received the Queens Award for International Trade, has showed a Coventry MP how to throw a few punches as they discussed the growing company’s expansion plans.
BOXRAW, which is currently based at the Quadrant in Coventry city centre, was founded in 2017 and provides sportswear and equipment for boxing and has developed the world’s most comprehensive machine learning model for boxing training, based on the largest data set of boxers ever captured.
The business was encouraged to enter the Queen’s Award by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub after growing its overseas sales by 335 % over the last three years.
Founder and CEO Ben Amanna met up with Coventry South MP Zarah Sultana to tell her about the plans the company has submitted to Coventry City Council for new premises – as well as to recruit for more than 200 roles in the next few years.
BOXRAW’s plans involve re-developing an existing garage on land north of Broomfield Road in Earlsdon to create a five-storey 2,603 sq m office space with a fully equipped boxing gym with bags, machines and a competition size ring.
A two-storey atrium is proposed above the boxing ring with a viewing gallery on both floors along with changing facilities, a sauna and amenity spaces, and the offices would be a mix of work pods, meeting rooms and collaborative work spaces.
Amanna said: “It was great to teach Zarah a few boxing moves from a sport which continues to grow in popularity for men and women.
“When we left the ring, I talked about our plans for our own purpose-built building which will reflect our international business and attract the best talent in terms of boxers and employees.
“We would like to provide open plan flexible workspaces with a range of working environments to suit all employees as well as a boxing gym and ring for staff and community use.
“It has been a whirlwind 12 months for BOXRAW since the Queen’s Award success.
“This is a really exciting time for the business as we want to take it to the next level again and it is great to have so much support from the Growth Hub.”
Sultana said: “The success he’s built with BOXRAW is testament to the determination and ingenuity of the people of Coventry and I am sure he will take it from strength-to-strength.
“Congratulations to him and everyone at BOXRAW for winning the Queen’s Award for International Trade.”
