Successful furniture entrepreneur Mark Symes has created a new, winning formula for the furnishing industry with the launch of his Solihull-based business, East West.
Selling both upholstery and cabinet furniture, East West started trading in May and already has a number of success stories under its belt, including achieving its year one budget turnover in just four months.
Founded by industry guru, Mark Symes, the ex-MD of renowned furnishings business Willis and Gambier, his concept is to simplify the trading experience for retailers and streamline the order process for both trade and consumers while delivering quality furniture at cutting edge prices.
The no frills, no fuss concept is set to do for the furniture industry what Easyjet did for the airline industry and offers modern, ready assembled furniture at flat pack prices. East West provides an offer of six sofa collections and 11 cabinet ranges.
Trade customers can buy in single units or containers and single orders are delivered directly to the consumer through East West’s direct home delivery service cutting out the delivery and returns process for retailers. East West has extensive warehousing and large product stock in Sunderland.
This is already proving a hit with existing customers which includes two national multiples. Mark Symes says: “Since we started delivering in May, East West has safely dispatched to 3,000 homes. As of this month our business will accelerate with a large number of independent retailers commencing trade and two major multiple retailers adding a further 300 retail stores in the next eight weeks. We also have 6,000 deliveries to customers before Christmas so it’s going to get even busier.
“Our aim is to manufacture quality furniture with modern housing proportions in mind, which, more importantly is affordable and enables the first and second time buyer to purchase furniture that has a quality feel to it.”
The company has seven employees, a 6500 sq ft showroom in Solihull. East West has also received recognition from leading industry magazine, Interiors Monthly with the prestigious ‘Supplier of the Year 2013’ award.
In addition, its brand new website displays all ranges of cabinet and upholstery products.
