Amefa UK reports strong results as turnover tops £11m

Sheffield-based Amefa UK, which is part of one of the world’s largest cutlery and kitchen knife specialists, Amefa Group, has reported a turnover of £11.3m for the 2014/15 financial year.

The company has more than doubled its turnover from six years ago, around the time Ameda UK was a struggling business.

In 2009 Amefa UK, which includes iconic British brand Richardson Sheffield, made losses of £1.2m and subsequently underwent a complete management change in a last bid for survival.

Led by current managing director John Horton, a complete shakeup and branch reform was undertaken which has resulted in the company once again becoming a profitable business and establishing itself as one of the biggest industry-players in the UK, as well as exporting to more than 50 countries.

In hopes of seeing continued growth, Amefa UK, based in Handsworth, recently refinanced through Barclays in Sheffield and secured a six figure loan for the business. The additional funds will help it to invest both in people and equipment in order to achieve its annual growth targets.

The company has also been supported by Sheffield business adviser Grant Thornton which worked with Amefa up to 2009 and has recently been re-appointed to provide auditing and tax services.

John Horton said: “The company has undergone an amazing transformation over the last six years and we are very proud of our achievements. Not only is the design work for our products done here, we also launched a stunning new ‘Made in Sheffield’ range in 2013 and we have doubled our workforce to 76 staff.

“Our strategy was to start by investing in the best people and build a top quality team who could ensure that we achieved our goals of providing outstanding customer service and developing new products which would lead the way in terms of style and design, all at an affordable price.”

He added: “Twenty years ago, our Richardson Sheffield brand enjoyed strong exports throughout the world, and we are making great progress in reviving the brand’s global reputation, winning new customers around the world on the back of our new product development programme. There’s still much to do, but it’s exciting that overseas markets offer so much potential to grow our business.”

Peter Edwards, director at Grant Thornton in Sheffield, added: “To take a failing business and turn it around in a relatively short space of time as John and his team have done is a daunting challenge. They’ve done an amazing job of catching up with the market and there’s still a huge potential for future growth.

“It’s fantastic to see the company that owns one of Sheffield’s oldest brands, Richardson Sheffield, not only transform its fortunes, but also continue the city’s heritage as a global name in quality knife-making.”

Richardson Sheffield was established in 1839 and was acquired by Dutch company Amefa Group in 2007.

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