Member Article

Apollo Blinds celebrates its 50th anniversary

Apollo Blinds has kicked off a year of celebrations to mark its 50th birthday with a get-together of its franchisees in Glasgow.

The company – which is Britain’s biggest window blinds franchise – used its annual conference to formally mark its golden anniversary and unveiled plans to celebrate for the rest of the year. Apollo Blinds was founded in 1972 in Scotland, our founders started recruiting a network of distributors to sell the blinds they were manufacturing. Apollo Blinds moved to Glasgow, which coincided with a massive surge in the popularity of Venetian blinds.

And the business has not looked back since, according to Apollo Blinds’ Business Development Director Matt Thomas, who said that the franchise network has changed beyond recognition over the years – as the company celebrated at its first in-person conference since 2019.

“Because of the restrictions around the Covid pandemic, this has been the first time we have been able to get everyone in the same place, and the opportunity to celebrate our 50th birthday has made it extra special,” said Matt.

“50 years is a big achievement for any business, and we’re proud that Apollo Blinds has stood the test of time, delivering great, high-quality made-to-measure window coverings that are installed by experts.

“A lot has changed over the last 50 years, but it’s reassuring to know that Apollo Blinds remains a brand that consumers trust and is also an attractive investment opportunity for people who want to run their own businesses as part of our network.”

Matt noted that many franchises remain family affairs, with businesses being passed from one generation to another. Other established businesses have been sold on to new owners because they are profitable territories with a strong trading history.

He added that the business – which was one of the original members of the British Franchise Association (bfa) when it was formed in 1977 – has evolved over the years in two main ways. The first is that the range of products has expanded massively – the Apollo Blinds network now offers the widest collection of blinds, shutters, awnings and curtains in the UK. The second has been the growth of van-based franchises offering a free home consultation experience, which is proving as popular as ever with consumers who appreciate a local expert guiding them through the options.

“We’ve come a long way in 50 years, but our success is rooted in our principle of striving to be a retailer of superior-quality made-to-measure window coverings, which goes hand in hand with our installation service and is backed up a focus on excellent customer service,” Matt added.

“It was incredible to get all the franchisees back together again, and there is no better way to celebrate our 50th birthday than reflecting on all the reasons that have got us to this point – and also looking to the future of having brilliant franchisees who embody everything that’s good about Apollo Blinds.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kirsty Hunt .