Member Article

New deals ignite manufacturing for County Durham designers

CVO Fire, based in Newton Aycliffe, has recently completed a number of installations for some major brands around the world as it continues to grow as one of the top fireplace designers and manufacturers in the UK.

CVO already has a prestigious client list including companies such as Marriott, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Banyan Tree and the Connaught Hotel, as well as domestic customers and house builders around Europe. However, CVO has recently worked with a number of high profile companies.

In London, CVO has installed one if its flueless gas fires at Terence Conran’s Lutyen’s restaurant on Fleet Street and a Fire Wave ‘ribbon’-style fire in the lobby of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel on Southampton Row. A similar style fire was also installed at Marco Pierre White’s restaurant at the exclusive Fairmont Hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Other installations include a double-sided fire ribbon at the Mercure Hotel in Nottingham city centre and also in the spa at the 5* Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, various flueless fires at offices on Kensington High Street and at exclusive apartment developments on the South coast and a ribbon-style fire in a Mayfair penthouse.

CVO Fire is also working on projects for Greene King and JD Wetherspoon bars and pubs around the UK as well as with interiors designers, including Kelly Hoppen, architects and property developers.

In May, CVO celebrated its fifth anniversary and launched a new e-commerce site to help grow the business online and internationally as many customers from abroad have been using the site to view and purchase fires and accessories, such as different surrounds and remote control options.

MD, Andrew Munro, and Christine Mcloughlin, CVO’s financial director, took the company over in May 2007. Since then, turnover has increased by 80% and manufacturing at its Newton Aycliffe headquarters has doubled. Its workforce has also almost quadrupled- in 2007 CVO Fire had five staff but now has a team of 17.

Export has also continued to increase with the opening of a CVO showroom in Munich in March 2010 to support existing showrooms in Holland, Norway and Italy where CVO’s British-made designs and quality are in high demand.

CVO hopes to launch in the USA within the next 12 months where they are currently working with a distributor on a new range of designs.

Speaking about CVO’s recent projects, Andrew Munro said: “Over the last year we’ve been very fortunate to work with some extremely prestigious brands all over the world. It’s so exciting to see our designs proving so popular which is allowing us to increase production in the North East.

“We’re currently working on everything from very elaborate, bespoke projects for developments in the Middle East, as well as standard fires for private clients seeking a focal point for their bars, hotels, restaurants or homes. The variety of work is very encouraging but we do work hard to invest in research to determine exactly what the market wants and needs.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Addison .