UK manufacturer of interior and exterior MDF mouldings, SAM, is delighted to announce its current £7 million investment programme. As a commitment to bringing the best in market products and setting the bar on quality and standard, SAM’s continued investment has meant the business has been able to focus on its relationships with merchant customers and their growth.
The broad £7 million significant investment from the Antrim-based company has enabled it to develop in five core areas:
- A new prime finish product, ensuring the profiles have a superior and robust finish
- Expanding stock range, with an increase of 57% (from 135 profiles to 212), to meet peak demands
- Increasing stock hold, doubling the stock hold capacity with a new 45,000 square foot warehouse
- Delivery of products to customers in the fastest way possible, through an enhanced transport and logistics strategy
- Development of a new catalogue, representing the ‘home of MDF mouldings’, it will become the “go to” for the merchant network, bringing together all they need to know from availability, range of profiles and pack sizes
SAM’s mission is to ensure their merchant customers have the right product, in the right quantity, in the right place, and at the right time. £2 million of the total investment is into ongoing annual costs to ensure this remains a reality for the merchant network. After announcing how half (£1 million) of this segment of the investment was for a new, improved paint finish which launched to market in January, the business is now investing and spending the second half – a further £1 million per year – into distribution, to ensure the delivery of the widest product offering in the marketplace within the fastest time.
The wider £5 million investment is into a new 45,000 square foot warehouse in Antrim, of which groundworks have already started. Not only does this enable SAM to fulfil its delivery, stock hold, and stock range goals, but it also embeds SAM deeper into the local business community by continuing to provide opportunities for local people.
Gerard Wilson, Sales Director at SAM comments: “Our customers and merchants have had three really challenging years with industry price increases, supply issues and delayed work with the pandemic. During this time, we’ve worked incredibly hard to maintain good communications with suppliers and scale up our level of sales and marketing support for our customers to make their lives easier and be a trusted and reliable partner. People and relationships are at the heart of what SAM is about, in addition to having the right product, in the right quantity, at the right place, and at the right time for our merchant customers. Even when other suppliers were struggling, we ensured we had stock so that we remained consistent and reliable. Our investment has empowered us to achieve more in this area, and provide an even better supplier experience than before – the benefits of our investment are already felt throughout our whole customer base.”
As the industry has faced turbulent times, SAM is proud of its consistency and reliability of delivery and undeniable support for suppliers, which is also reflected in its recent win of ‘Overall Supplier of the Year’ in the annual Jewson awards at the end of 2022.
Lisa Young, Jewson Commercial Director commented on SAM’s win and the team’s commitment to supporting its suppliers: “Proactivity and collaboration are the words used to describe this supplier by colleagues from all parts of Jewson. There have been challenges throughout 2022, however, SAM’s approach has been positive and results-driven throughout. Communications are open and honest, which has built a genuine level of trust with this supplier.”
Gerard Wilson concludes: “We know having the biggest portfolio of 200+ profiles and one million linear metres within stock is impressive to all our customers, and we’re incredibly proud of our industry-leading position as a result. But to hear time and time again from our customers that we are their supplier of choice and their incredibly positive feedback on how we’ve made their lives easier demonstrates the true value of our recent investment.”
With over 30 years of trading, SAM has long term plans to grow its business, both locally in Northern Ireland, and across the wider UK merchant network. The benefits of the investment will be felt for both groups for many years to come.
For more information about SAM, you can visit: https://www.samonline.co.uk/
