Hammonds: "We've dodged recessionary bullet' Fitted furniture firm makes retail growth priority

23rd November 2009 | retail | Vertical furniture supplier Hammonds says 'It's going to be a fantastic year commercially' as it pinpoints further growth of its high street retail presence.

The £68m fitted furniture specialist told the Furnishing Report that soon to be released accounts for the year to June will show it has maintained margins (it made £1.9m last year) and that it had 'dodged the recessionary bullet by investing in innovation and customer service.'

The family owned firm has just opened a 5,000sq ft store in Southampton and says it has a hit list of towns across the UK which fit the Hammonds target profile. The supplier/retailer added that it has new product coming on stream next month and that it will open a Milton Keynes store before the year is out. It also plans to add to its concession portfolio within existing furniture retail stores.

Hammonds' marketing director Claire Parker said, 'I think there's a threat to UK based furniture businesses if they've not invested in their infrastructure, after seeing this downturn out, if you've stripped out costs from the business too radically, then you won't be in the right place to benefit from the returning growth in consumer confidence.

'We've faired well over what has been a difficult situation for UK retail, we've identified what we're good at, stuck to that and invested into it.'