Leeds-based mattress retailer Otty has announced an overseas expansion with the opening of a new office in Berlin, which will help the company tap into the European market following its successful growth in the UK.
Otty, which was launched in 2016, has opened its first technical office in Germany to help co-ordinate overseas operations. While Otty Sleep GmbH will work as its own entity, with processing and shipping being conducted via a dedicated German warehouse, support will be provided by the company’s Leeds-based headquarters, which will be recruiting a number of staff to help meet international demand.
The bed-in-a-box retailer decided to embark on the overseas venture as part of its continued natural growth. Undertaking an intensive research and development process, the mattress retailer quickly identified that Germany presented an opportunity for a disruptive online mattress retailer to enter the market, and made Berlin its centre of operations in the country.
The research stage also led to Otty introducing new products exclusive to the tech-savvy German audience, which meet the demand for memory foam mattresses in the country and deliver on the needs and requirements of the consumers.
Founder and CEO Michal Szlas says: “We’re extremely pleased to announce the opening of our new office in Berlin, following our success in the UK market. Before deciding on moving to Germany we undertook a great deal of analysis of the marketplace there, which told us we had to create something different to meet the demand of its consumers. We developed new products to meet these requirements and feel confident they can replicate abroad the success we’ve had at home.
“Our Leeds office will still act as our headquarters, but having a presence abroad allows us to take the next steps to fulfilling the ambitions we have as a business. Having analysed the German marketplace, we feel there is a real opportunity for us to get a foothold overseas and develop our products and the brand further.”
Founded in 2016 by 25-year-old entrepreneur Michal Szlas, Otty employs eight people and has three distribution centres in the UK. The company turned over £1.7m in its first year of trading, and this year is expected to achieve a turnover of £8-£10m.
