A massive increase in DIY due to the pandemic has helped a Black Country power tool supplier double turnover over the last twelve months.
Lumberjack Tools, which is run by brothers Bill, Dave and Fred Evans, has seen sales soar to £6m, as more people used lockdown and furlough to complete jobs around the house and home improvements they never usually get round to.
The company has had to respond to the increase in demand for its woodworking and garage products by taking on three new people and investing over £600,000 into an additional 17,000 sq ft distribution facility next to its HQ on the Manders Estate in Wolverhampton.
This decision will support the next stage of its development, which includes the growth of new brands Autojack and Gardenjack and up to 200 additional products to the range.
“Like a lot of e-commerce businesses, we have seen a huge spike in demand from the home DIY market, with Covid-19 giving people more time to focus on projects they’d been putting off,” explained Fred Evans, Managing Director at Lumberjack Tools
“Sales of saws, sanders, routers, wood lathes and jigs are up 100% and we’ve had to buy in bulk to ensure we can continue to supply demand from our growing customer base. All of our products are selected for their quality, performance and value for money, three big attributes that are proving extremely popular.”
He continued: “Our thirteen staff have worked so hard during the pandemic, really going above and beyond to deliver outstanding customer service. As a business we have also been proactive, pressing the button on a major investment drive that will give us more space, enhanced IT infrastructure and new forklift and pallet trucks.”
Lumberjack Tools was set up in 2004 in a small industrial unit in West Bromwich and grew steadily until it fully embraced online sales eight years later and this sparked a significant growth period.
At the same time as this expansion, the business also started to increase its supplier network, appointing a number of international woodwork specialists to boost its product range.
Fred went on to add: “A big focus for 2021 is targeting more key accounts, who can sell our products to a far wider audience in the UK.
“Machine Mart is the first organisation to sign-up and we’re looking at other well-established woodworking outlets who can give us a footprint in the retail world and customers face-to-face knowledge of our products.”
He concluded: “This year will also see us proactively grow the Autojack and Gardenjack brands, which will give our clients access to the latest garage and garden equipment, including air compressors, gasless welders, chainsaws and strimmers.”