Member Article

Interiors specialist outlines plans for expansion

Leading Yorkshire interiors specialist Southerns has set out plans to enhance its service offer to new and existing customers, which will be central to its ambitious five-year growth strategy as it seeks to treble turnover.

The business, which designs and delivers end-to-end Fixtures Fittings and Equipment (FF&E) solutions for a variety of sectors, has implemented significant changes to its business structure to enable this next phase of growth.

A new ‘managed services’ offer will capitalise on the strong design element of Southerns proposition, and offers developers, intermediaries and end-users a managed solution that takes the hassle and risk out of the design and on-going management of offices and workspace, in relation to FF&E.

Southerns will offer this consultative service to aid developers build best practice interiors into their initial designs. This will combat a long-standing industry challenge, which has seen interiors treated as an afterthought, rather than integral to the final look, feel, use and productivity of the workspace.

The Leeds-based business, which services a number of sectors including Further Education and Healthcare and has recently worked on a number of high profile schemes, has a turnover approaching £10m and has set its sights on further improving performance.

The business is currently expanding its team as it seeks to double turnover within the next two-three years and triple it within five. This will be achieved through organic growth, and several senior appointments have already been made to enable this.

Andrew Kendall-Jones, Principal and founder of Southerns, said: “For too long, the role of suppliers in our sector has been one-dimensional. By approaching the situation in a more collaborative and consultative way, we’re able to get a real understanding of what our customers need and deliver a bespoke solution and sustainable FF&E strategy that takes the pressure off them. We have a strong conviction that big thinking can equate to big delivery and tangible results for our clients.”

“We believe that our innovative managed services proposition is the way forward in our industry and will lead to our continued success. As such, we’ve made significant changes to our business model, brand and also welcome a number of new employees. This positions us well to take advantage of new opportunities and further existing relationships with key accounts.”

The business has recognised significant changes in demand from several client areas, as well as an acknowledgement that FF&E plays an integral role in how a building is used, and even user productivity.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .