Published on 3 - June - 2010

Plumbers merchant receives Telegraph Masterclass plaudit

Williams & Co, the independent plumbers merchant based in Portsmouth, is featured in the "Masterclass - Secrets of Success" video series in the Telegraph Business Club, run by newspaper The Daily Telegraph.

Williams' md, Mick Williams, was the driving force behind the boiler scrappage scheme. The Telegraph series is seeking to identify business success stories in difficult times, and the video highlights the way that Williams & Co have concentrated on their strengths to deliver consistent growth at a time when many of competitors are posting double-digit decreases in turnover and collapsing profits.

In the video, Williams explains how the firm has managed the transition from small family business to a major regional player over the last 10 years.

The business focuses ruthlessly on offering major brands at a single low price-point to a core market of trade customers. Despite banning retail customers, and ignoring brands which do not fit the trading style, the company has grown from five branches turning over £3.5m in 2000 to 15 branches turning over £15m in 2010.

Commercial director Ray Stafford outlined says:. "It is all about simplicity and scalability. Every thing we do supports our key goal of offering the trade customer a brand they trust, at a low transparent price, and getting the service right first time. Where we used to look for new locations where there was no competition, now we look for towns with four or five competitors, because we know that our business model will take market share from them."

This growth has been achieved with no borrowing, and with virtually no expansion of internal management structures, which remain completely flat. Williams says: "When you have a tier of middle management, your message ends up like Chinese Whispers".