Member Article

Warwickshire sports equipment company in good shape

A Warwickshire company that supplies high-end sports equipment to elite clubs and organisations has got its import costs in better shape on the back of a new partnership. Perform Better, which is based in Southam and turns over around £5million per year, works with nearly every Premier League football club, the FA, English rugby and a whole host of other teams and organisations.

The company’s equipment ranges from testing systems through to recovery products, as well as strength and conditioning and CV exercise bikes and treadmills. It is a step up from regular gym equipment and is usually reserved for those involved in sports science who are working with high level athletes. Perform Better imports significant amounts of product that it assembles on site, as well as ready-made equipment, and costs have been rising over recent years. The company was introduced to RationalFX, an FCA-authorised international money- transfer service provider, by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. RationalFX has been supporting the company since November of last year and saved the firm in excess of £1,000 in the first four months of working together by helping to reduce the exchange rate on its import expenditure.

Steve Edwards, of Perform Better, said: “We have been spending significant five figure sums every month on importing products and, like every business, it is important in the current climate to look at every cost. “We were introduced to RationalFX by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and they immediately managed to secure a better rate on our imports. In the first four months, we saved more than £1,000, which may not sound like a huge amount, but that could cover the rises in energy bills that all businesses are facing. “As a business, we trade with Italy, the USA, Australia and other nations and it is important we can get the best possible rate to keep costs down.

“We cannot compromise on the quality of our equipment because that is what attracts clients such as Premier League football clubs and Premiership Rugby teams, as well as international sides too. “In the last two football World Cups, we’ve even supplied pop-up gyms to the FA who wanted to make sure their players had the best possible experience. “Therefore, we have to make sure we are being as efficient as we can in other areas and saving on import costs is one way of doing that.” Lewis Josephs, of RationalFX, said: “We were very excited to support Perform Better during the 2022 World Cup campaign with buying foreign currency.

“During the account verification stage, we understood the importance of efficiency of transactions in addition to maximising savings on their transfers. We dedicate two points of contact including a dedicated currency specialist who will work closely with the business to understand their currency requirements and objectives, alongside implementing sensible hedging strategies to manage currency risk effectively.” Hazel Pilling, Membership and International Trade Manager at Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Perform Better has carved out a wonderful niche in the elite sports equipment market and we are delighted that they are here on our patch serving such an impressive range of clients.

“A key benefit of being a Chamber Member is making new business relationships which can bring value to all parties. We are thrilled that the introduction to RationalFX has already achieved cost savings and long may that continue.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .