Anglia unveils growth plans for £150 million revenues

“Infrastructure, inventory and people, are the key areas of investment as we grow the business,” explains John Bowman, Marketing Director of Anglia.

The Wisbech-based distributor has spent £2 million over the past nine months on an extension to its distribution centre which increases overall inventory space by 40 per cent.

Says Bowman, “We have grown at a 25 per cent CAGR over the past two years. The extension future proofs us as we continue to grow.”

Inventory will remain key. The distributor was ahead of the curve with a high inventory level relative to the company size, and it has continued to invest during recent supply chain challenges. They haven’t entirely dissipated yet.

Anglia enjoyed a record sales month in January, but Bowman expects business to slow in 2023 – “we are budgeting for single figure growth, and I expect the next 12 to 18 months to be bumpy,” he says – before picking up again in 2024. He remains optimistic. “Sentiment is high amongst the SMES in our customer base,” he adds. “The change is companies are buying what they need, rather than think they might need.”

Added Anglia CEO Steve Rawlins, “As a privately owned company, we can continue this strategy as we grow. We have scaled up our distribution centre facility to allow us to continue to increase our inventory levels as our business expands. Our track record over the last couple of years has meant that customers are trusting us more than ever and look on us as a safe pair of hands. This is a reputation that we are committed to preserving as we grow further."

The company also plans to add 30 to its headcount of 150 employees at its headquarters in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. They will be spread across the sales, technical, operations and logistics teams.

And the investment in people goes beyond hiring. A comprehensive range of new benefits now extended include, loyalty bonuses, a comprehensive health plan, company life insurance, additional flexible leave for important family events and the opportunity for flexible salary access. Anglia has also increased annual leave to 27 days (pro-rata for part time staff). However, the centrepiece of Anglia's new employment benefits is the decision to close the business early at 1pm instead of 5pm on Fridays to give staff a longer weekend – “greeted very enthusiastically", laughs John Bowman. Even though these measures reduce total working hours, all staff will remain on the same remuneration.

Steve Rawlins explains, "I aim to strengthen Anglia’s reputation as the employer of choice within the local area and in our industry as a whole, and to clearly recognise the commitment and loyalty of the staff that has brought us through the pandemic and the supply chain challenges in our industry. Half have been with the business five or more years, and nearly a quarter for over 20 years. To further foster and encourage that loyalty, and to bring in the best and brightest in the current employment market, we have introduced a package of new benefits for existing staff all of which will be available immediately to new joiners."

Opening Time; From left to right: Sarah Porter, Strategic Marketing Manager Anglia, Debbie Marriott, Supply Chain Manager Anglia, Krisztina Nemeth, Corporate Account Manager STMicroelectronics, Ben Clarke, Sales Account Manager STMicroelectronics, Andrew Pockson, Divisional Engineering Manager Anglia, Frank Wolinski, John David, UK and Ireland Sales Manager STMicroelectronics, Jill Bowie, Operations Director Anglia, Iain Currie, VP North Sales & Managing Director UK STMicroelectronics, John Bowman, Marketing Director Anglia, Juergen Grillmayer, Distribution Sales Director STMicroelectronics.

Performing the opening of the new distribution centre, Frank Wolinski said, "I am honoured to be invited to open this new building, a key milestone in Anglia's history. Anglia has been our Demand Creation Distributor of the Year for two years running. Their strong team work exceptionally hard to develop opportunities with customers. The expanded facility in Wisbech means that they can continue to hold the levels of inventory needed to support customers once these projects go into production. I wish Anglia every success in their continued growth and look forward to playing a central part in their plans."