Two companies join forces to bring in millions to Telford
A businessman today said Telford had become a world leader in anti-slip floor coverings after bringing in more than £10million of business to the town from China.
Adrian Stevenson, of J & A Stevenson Ltd on Tweedale Industrial Estate said he has been overwhelmed with the success of the DDA compliant SureGRP non-slip floor panels, hand rails and ramps which he manufactures at his Tweedale factory.
Mr Stevenson said much of this success and business had come through his six websites which were built by Andy Smith, of Runtime UK in Wellington.
Mr Smith was set the challenge of designing and building the first website in just three days.
Five years on Mr Stevenson, whose family-run company manufactures, supplies and fits the products, said it was this website and partnership which had seen him attract the huge amount of business.
Mr Stevenson, managing director of the Tweedale Industrial Estate based company, said the anti-slip flooring with GRP was a British born product which China then took control of the worldwide market.
But he said through his skilled development of the product he had brought the leadership back to the UK.
“As a company J & A Stevenson Ltd are now probably the world leaders in SureGRP non-slip flooring which is a real coup for us and for Telford.
“The development of the product here at Tweedale and the development of the website at every stage has resulted in the market domination being brought back to the UK but more importantly to Shropshire,” Mr Stevenson said.
“I met Andy of Runtime and said I needed a website within three days and this is what has come out of that - £2.5million of business a year.
“Through his skills, understanding of our business and quality of design we are attracting customers from all over the country.
“The website is the first point of contact for many of our customers so first impressions are vital.”
Mr Stevenson urged other businesses to consider their website as the face of their company for international customers.
“If they are impressed with what they see then they pick up the phone and this has been happening over and over.
“The products speak for themselves but conveying them through a website can be difficult but Andy has achieved the result we hoped for,” he said.
Mr Stevenson said his latest contracts to come in through his website included a £150,000 contract to supply and fit handrails and anti-slip material at Littleborough Railway Station and also a £26,000 contract to supply all Northern Gas vans with anti-slip material for the inside of the back of the vans.
Mr Smith, whose company offers website design and promotional design, said: “Adrian’s specialist business offers unique, bespoke products and it was vital the company website reflected that.
“We were pleased to rise to the three-day challenge set by J&A Stevenson five years ago which has now seen our working relationship develop to one of overwhelming success.
“We wish Adrian and his team continued success and we are pleased to be able to support his business growth through his website development.
“This just shows how much business can be brought to a town by two businesses joining forces and shows how important this is for the local economy.”
