Office furniture supplier expands after new funding deal
AN office furniture retailer in Redditch has expanded into new, larger premises after securing a new funding deal.
The additional capacity will also enable Smith’s Office and Commercial Furniture to create new jobs.
Established in 1982, the company is a second generation family business which supplies items such as desks and chairs, through to complete office fit-outs. The company is managed by brothers Richard and Paul Smith, who are the sons of the founder Arthur Smith.
Its client base spans a variety of businesses, from SMEs to multi-national corporations, as well as schools, airports and conference centres. The firm has completed a number of large-scale fit-outs for customers across the UK, including Birmingham, Manchester, Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted airports.
The business has relocated to new premises complete with a 2,500 sq ft showroom and 2,500 sq ft warehousing facility.
The new premises are situated in a section of the old Royal Enfield Motorcycle factory on the Enfield industrial estate, now called the Arcadian Business Centre. Prior to the company moving in, the building was fully refurbished. The refurbishment was carried out by Smiths’ own contractors.
To facilitate the move, the brothers approached the Redditch office of Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, which provided the loan enabling the firm to purchase the building.
Richard Smith, a director of the business, said: “Our business has grown considerably in recent years and we were just too big for our existing premises. We had been wanting to move from our old building for some time, so when these premises became available we had to act fast.
“Purchasing the building, having rented for so long, means that we finally have one that we can call our own. The extended space has enabled us to showcase the quality of our existing products and we can now focus on expanding the range of products and services that we have to offer.
“The local team at Lloyds Bank has been extremely supportive of our plans to move and expand, helping us to make our hopes of owning our own premises a reality, and we are grateful for the bank’s support.”
Phil Larner, relationship manager at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking in Redditch, said: “It was important for Smith’s Office and Commercial Furniture to remain in Redditch, where it has built up a fantastic reputation within the local community over a number of years.
“When we were approached by Richard and Paul, they had a solid business strategy in place and knew that relocating was an important move in order to enable them to expand the business. It’s great to see them now working towards further growth ambitions and their plans to create new job opportunities in the coming months is good news for the local area.”
