Member Article

St Helens curtain manufacturer makes prestigious list

St Helens-based soft furnishings expert Ena Shaw has been named in the 2016 London Stock Exchange’s prestigious list of 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain.

The soft furnishings manufacturer is just one of nine Merseyside businesses to be included, while there were 101 firms from across the North West. The report showcases the UK’s ‘most inspiring and fastest growing SMEs’, with strong revenue growth and out-performance of competitors being key factors for inclusion.

Established in 1929, the family-run Ena Shaw group has grown to become one of the country’s largest manufacturers for the contract and domestic soft furnishings industry. The company recorded a 20 per cent increase in revenue during the last financial year, growing from £13.3 to £15.9 million

Ena Shaw is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of made-to-measure curtains and blinds, working with a wide range of clients, from national chains such as Next to smaller independent retailers.

Ena Shaw Contract provides bespoke, high quality soft furnishings to the hospitality, care, social housing and public sectors, with recent projects including contracts for international hotel chains such as the Hilton Group, as well as Four Seasons Healthcare and Get Living London.

Ena Shaw Retail consists of the St Helens-based home furnishings store Ena Shaw Home and Curtain Concessions Limited, which runs 30 Montgomery soft furnishings concessions in Debenhams and independent department stores.

Commenting on the company’s stamp of approval from the London Stock Exchange, Ena Shaw’s managing director, Richard Potter, said: “We’re incredibly thrilled and honoured to be selected for this prestigious list.

“The group has gone from strength to strength and it’s satisfying to see our efforts rewarded. We’ve developed an excellent level of cohesion between the various arms of the business, ensuring that our entire offering works toward the same end goal and follows a clear strategy.”

Richard added: “We’re looking forward to working on a number of exciting projects on the Contract side, while continuing to develop the soft furnishings portfolio, and we’re confident that 2016 will continue to be a successful year for us.”

Xavier Rolet, chief executive of London Stock Exchange Group, said at the launch event for the report: “High growth SMEs are the driving force behind the UK economy, developing the skills, jobs and growth we need. But ambition alone is not enough; their success must be highlighted and their growth properly supported with appropriate finance. That’s why today’s event is so important: demonstrating the strong alliance between UK Government, financial market participants, investors, entrepreneurs and companies to support these inspiring businesses.

“Today’s celebration is fundamental to London Stock Exchange’s core, the need to support UK high growth companies in their journeys from Start-up to Stardom and create an entrepreneurship revolution.”

Writing in the publication, The Rt. Hon. George Osborne MP, said: “UK high-growth businesses are leading the charge in rebuilding our economy. These companies are the backbone of the British economy. They create high-quality, well paid jobs, innovate and drive economic growth. This government fully understands the need to support ambitious entrepreneurs and ensure they can access the finance they need to grow.

“We have held the steadfast belief that – alongside deficit reduction – nurturing entrepreneurs, creating jobs, supporting hard-working families and keeping taxes low would get the UK economy back on track. Our measures to increase access to finance for business and encourage more investment have had a transformative effect on our economy.”

For more information on the list, visit: www.1000companies.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophie Kaitcer .