Bathroom products supplier turns on investment tap
A bathroom brand is set to boost turnover and headcount by 50% and triple its warehouse capacity following a £13m cash injection.
Easy Bathrooms, headquartered in Birstall, is a one-stop-shop for bathroom fittings and fixtures, including baths, showers, mirrors, railings and tiles, employing 670 people across the UK.
It sells to consumers through its nationwide store network, as well as to tradespeople, such as housebuilders and hotel developers, under its sister brand Cubico.
Now, with the support of a £13m finance package from Lloyds Bank, the firm is to open a new, custom-built 330,000 sq ft warehouse in Wakefield.
As well as tripling its storage capacity from 15,000 to 60,000 pallet spaces, the move is paving the way for the creation of up to 400 new roles across warehousing, distribution and support functions.
The move comes as Easy Bathrooms celebrates the opening of its 100th store on Boxing Day, with its rapid expansion set to boost turnover from £62.3m to £95m year-on-year.
Looking ahead, the firm will continue its store roll-out, initially focusing on the North East and Scotland, and will invest in its in-house design capabilities ahead of a full range refresh.
Last year, it opened 32 stores, and the company expects to match this rate of growth in 2022.
Laura Green, financial director, said: “Over the course of the last two years, the home improvement sector has boomed, and we’ve seen demand for our products soar.
“Like all businesses, we have been pushed to adapt quickly to constantly changing conditions during the pandemic, and for us this meant accelerating our expansion plans to ensure we could keep up with growing customer demand.
“Our new premises gives us the capacity we need to stock the biggest and best range of products for our customers, and help us operate with maximum efficiency unlocking further growth as we move into the new year.”
Mark Butterworth, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said: “Easy Bathrooms is an instantly-recognisable, trusted British brand, and we are excited to support the team as they embark on this next phase of their growth journey.
“A leading local employer in Yorkshire, they are a prime example of a brand that has expanded at a pace that is impressive, but still sustainable, tapping into market demand without sacrificing the quality they are known for.”
