CASE STUDY
Support Programme: High Growth Programme
Company Assisted: Eanam UK Limited
Support Activity: Support for a Growing Manufacturing Business
In November 2009, Javid Ebrahim launched Eanam UK Limited – a British manufacturing company specialising in the production of school-wear. In January 2010, he held discussions with advisers from Enterprise4All, who recommended that he take advantage of the support available from the Northwest Development Agency's Coaching for High Growth Programme.
Javid then set about working with his appointed coaches, with whose help he began a highly successful marketing campaign and increased his workforce to 13 employees in just five months.
Background:
Eanam UK began with a very strong foundation. Another family business, Eanam Garments was in the process of closing down and, although his new enterprise had a different structure and strategy, Javid was able to retain contact with many of the former clients to explore opportunities for new supply agreements.
Unlike the original business, however, Eanam UK was focusing on the UK school uniform market and, despite intense price competition from overseas, Javid wished to establish a UK based manufacturing business that would begin with the production of school trousers before going on to introduce other school-wear lines. It was an ambitious task and in order to ensure that his strategy was as sound as possible, he obtained coaching support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency's High Growth Programme.
Support Provided:
Based on an initial assessment visit, a Winning Pitch adviser referred Javid to Enterprise4All for five days of free coaching support – particularly in the areas of business planning and marketing.
Javid worked with one E4All coach to develop and consolidate his business plan, and then worked with a second coach to devise and implement a marketing strategy designed to win new business and improve market awareness.
The communications plan was based on the use of direct marketing – principally sales letters and email – to reach schools and wholesalers across the country, and the use of public relations techniques to secure publicity in national trade magazines such as Children’s Wear Buyer. Central to the campaign was the idea of promoting the benefits of using a UK based manufacturer – i.e. faster turn-around times, greater accountability, reduced environmental impact and the ability to keep money within the UK economy.
Results:
Managing the campaign himself, Javid achieved valuable media coverage through a series of press releases tailored for local, regional and national publications. Through his direct marketing activity, which he carried out according to a carefully planned schedule, he won new supply contracts with wholesalers across the North West and from customers as far South as London.
By May 2010, Eanam’s order book was full and the employee roster had risen to 13 members of staff.
“The fact that we’re offering British-made garments is an important selling point for us,” explains Eanam’s managing director, Javid Ebrahim. “It means that our clients can be confident that we are observing strict quality controls, it means that their money comes back into the British economy and – just as importantly – it means they can be sure that the garments they buy are being produced in good, safe, modern working conditions.
“The response from customers has been very positive. There’s clearly a genuine demand for British made school-wear and although we’ve started by manufacturing trousers, we intend to extend our range to cover many other items of school uniform, too.”
For further details, please visit www.eanamgroup.co.uk.