American success for Chorley company safeguards jobs

A Chorley company specialising in the supply of gas safety equipment for schools, commercial buildings and restaurants is celebrating after achieving significant export success in the USA.

S&S Northern now supplies products via 20 distributors to 48 states across the United States. Sales this financial year are currently at over £300,000 and expected to reach approximately £500,000 by year end. This success has resulted in the safeguarding of seventeen jobs, including the creation of five new positions.

The firm is run by the family team of Lee Dempsey and his parents, Steve and Sue McMahon, and the exporting success has been achieved with the assistance of the Department for International Trade (DIT).

Established in 1995, S&S Northern is one of the UK’s leading designers, manufacturers and suppliers of the latest range of gas safety products, including ventilation and interlock systems for use in commercial kitchens.

Throughout its history the company had not previously exported, but began to consider it after meeting with an International Trade Advisor at DIT.

After initial export sales were established to European markets, it was decided to target the USA. Market research in 2013 suggested S&S Northern’s American competitors’ offerings were more expensive, complicated to install and nowhere near as advanced as what the Chorley company could provide.

With DIT supporting the company every step of the way, S&S Northern subsequently established its own USA company American Gas Safety, with an office and sales manager based in Clearwater, Florida.

Paul Stowers, DIT deputy regional director for the North West, said: “We’re very happy to have played a key role in helping S&S Northern to enter the American market – the sales the company have achieve this year are phenomenal, and very well deserved. I would urge other businesses seeking new markets and wishing to expand in existing territories to exploit the tailored advice and support available from Exporting is GREAT and the Department for International Trade.”

Lee Dempsey, S&S Northern sales director, commented: “DIT provided us with the knowledge, strategy, funding, training and confidence to approach the American market as a £2.5m British SME with limited resources. We couldn’t have achieved this success without DIT’s help.

“International trade advisers helped us every step of the way, both with specific USA cultural training seminars, and helping us with financial support and obtaining the required certification. DIT’s support also allowed us to exhibit and launch products at the AHR EXPO exhibition in New York in January 2014, the AHR EXPO Chicago a year later and the AHR EXPO Florida in January of this year. “I’d recommend any businesses that are looking to export to get in touch with DIT – through the step by step guidance they provided we have successfully developed a significant presence in the challenging but lucrative USA market.”