Headlam strengthens its grip on the independent retail sector

31st March | flooring | Wholesale group Headlam has grown its market share with independent flooring retailers. The company, which runs a host of regional and national flooring distributors, outperformed a flooring market widely thought to be running at double digit figures below last year’s levels, as it reported sales just 2.5% lower than ’07 on a like for like basis in the year to 31st December.

Overall sales climbed 2.3%, but pre-tax profit figures declined 11.2% to £40.1m. The firm reshuffled a number of its business units during the year, which resulted in the closure of some distribution centres and a net 9% fall in staff numbers to 1,720.

The firm says it expects its yourfloors.co.uk Internet portal to ‘provide a benefit in coming years’ to its customer base, while the firm, along with other participants, will adjust downwards its investment in the generic flooring marketing campaign, Fun on the Floor, over the next 12 months.