Member Article

East Durham entrepreneur expands business

AN East Durham entrepreneur is delighted to have expanded his business further – with the opening of a new showrooom and plans to boost turnover to £1.5m next year.

Phil Mordey, from Thornley, is the managing director of The Bathroom Cladding Centre which already has a showroom in Washington and a warehouse and head office in Houghton-le-Spring.

The firm also operates two e-commerce sites and has its own brand of decorative PVC cladding, Super Paneling.

Now, after diversifying its product range to reflect the move into the higher-end residential and commercial property market and the demand for feature and designer cladding, the company has opened another showroom at Kingston Park in Newcastle.

The new showroom has been branded as Décor Cladding Direct, selling all the traditional cladding as well as the new designs and a range of bathrooms and vanityware.

Proud Phil, who now employs nine people, said: “The design of bathroom cladding is becoming much more diverse and advanced, largely due to advances in techology and the innovative products available, this option is becoming as popular as tiling.

“We’ve been sourcing high end, digitally printed products from suppliers across Europe which means as a business we’re able to diversify and tap into new markets, and linked to that we’ve decided to expand our regional presence.

“Over the last year the business has grown significantly and we now employ nine people.

“Last year our turnover was £850,000 but with the opening of our Kingston Park showroom and online growth I see no reason why that won’t reach £1.5m at the end of our next financial year.”

Bathroom Cladding Centre, which was formed in 2012 but can trace it roots back to 2000, has invested around £30,000 in the 2,700 sq ft space at Kingston Park.

The company sells a range of cladding designs which, because of the development of the products, are becoming the number one choice for bathroom décor.

Ambitious Phil is keen to expand the business further with a range of lock flooring, branded as Superpaneling to compliment the cladding designs, also meaning that the company can supply everything needed for the bathroom from ceiling to walls, floors and of course the suite and furniture.

He added: “The industry has completely changed in recent months. Whereas before cladding was regarded as a functional necessity, now it is seen as an attractive addition to your bathroom or any other room in the home for that matter. It’s easy to install, cost effective and long lasting.

“For us as a company, this diversification has really helped take our business to the next level and with the addition of the Kingston Park showroom, we can continue to grow and expand our product portfolio.”

For more information visit bathroomcladdingdirect.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Felicity Collinson .