Claughtons reaches customer milestone

The deal with JSJ Partnership, to supply furniture and stationery, took the Melton-based firm past the milestone.

It comes after a series of contract wins for Claughtons, including one with Morgan Sindall Investments to supply furniture for Archbishop Sentamu Academy, part of Hull’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

Debbie Page, sales manager at Claughtons, said: “We are very proud to reach such a significant milestone. Our continued success is a direct result of our commitment to deliver superior products at the best value possible to our customers.”

Under the leadership of Gerard Toplass, the firm has profited from the boom in school investment driven by Tony Blair’s mantra of “education, education, education”.

In recent years, Claughtons has been transformed from a “modestly performing” business into a significant player in the educational furniture and refurbishment sector.

The firm is on course to turn over £4.5m this year, an increase of 50 per cent, and £6m next year. Today the firm has 34 staff, up from 22 last year, as its manufacturing operation has grown.

Mr Toplass has been the managing director of Claughtons since he led a management buyout in 2008.

Four years ago, he realised that schools would be spending their cash on facilities and furniture, instead of computer systems, in future.

Claughtons has played a big role in improving the quality of the furniture, classrooms and laboratories at local schools.

The business has moved to bigger premises and found clients beyond its traditional East Yorkshire heartland.