How Bluefin Group is expanding due to soaring popularity of paddle boarding

Growing up on a farm in the picturesque outskirts of Hebden Bridge, he received six chickens as a present for his tenth birthday.

Whilst most other young children would just enjoy feeding them and cuddling them, business-minded William had other ideas – how to make money from them.

He remembers: “When I saw the eggs the chickens were producing, I immediately realised I could sell them and thought about the channels through which I could do this.

“My father was a GP and so I set up a stall at his surgery and patients would buy them when they came in.

“At the end of the week, I had a whole lot of money of my own and, as a young child, this was very exciting.”

He continues: “Once I got hit by the ‘bug’ of making money I started to think how could I make more?

“The obvious answer was to gradually buy more chickens over time and when I reached 14, I had 200 chickens!”

This passion stayed with William when he left home to study a five-year land management degree at Harper Adams University, in Shropshire.

He says: “Whilst most of my friends had bar or shop jobs, I wanted to do something different.

“I used to go to car boots sales, auctions and antique shops and pick up various bits and pieces cheaply.

“I’d then clean them up, package them and sell them for quite a big profit on the internet.

“This was a successful and easy way to make money, and it paid my way through university.”

Having graduated in 2013, he then bought Argos catalogue returns, repaired them, and sold them on. It was at this time that he first thought about selling into the fitness market.

Having sold 20 revamped vibration plates in one day he realised the great demand for these products.

He comments: “I decided to plough all my savings in and draft a business plan. I approached Royal Bank of Scotland to ask if they’d match fund me. To be honest I never imagined they would, as I was still a young guy with a dream of a new business idea. However, the manager obviously liked my concept as he immediately agreed the matched funding.

“I soon managed to source a manufacturer and agent in China – Bluefin Fitness was born!”

Over the years, Bluefin Fitness has grown to become one of the largest suppliers of vibration plates for fitness and weight loss; as well as home to gym equipment such as treadmills, cross trainers, rowing machines and exercise bikes – sales of which boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic when people stayed at home and were restricted from visiting their gyms.

Running alongside Bluefin Fitness as the other part of the Bluefin Group is Bluefin Paddle Boards. The company is building on the growing popularity of paddle boarding – a watersport activity which involves standing up on a board and using a paddle to make your way through the water.

Participants can do all kinds of activities on paddle boards, such as yoga, fishing, racing, and touring. Discussions are underway about including paddle boarding as a future Olympic sport.

William explains the rationale behind Bluefin Paddle Boards. He says: “The company was born from a well-spent youth on the water in the western Southern Uplands (Scotland), and a love for all things aqua.

“We wanted to create a range of premium construction inflatable boards that all the family could enjoy, just as much as we did – and still do – without breaking the bank, and without compromising on quality. For example, our most popular model currently sells for £499, whilst competitor products are £1,000 plus.

“As an ocean-spirited family business, we’ve worked passionately on that promise. We’ve invested many years, working tirelessly on research and development, and constantly making improvements to the Bluefin collection.

“It’s this constant focus on R&D which remains one of our most important USPs. Today, we stand proud to offer a special selection of boards to suit everybody; from juniors and complete amateurs looking to get into the sport for the first-time, to seasoned ocean-tourers.”

As well as ongoing R&D, William’s major focus is sustainability. He explains: “We’re passionate about sustainability and are a very eco-friendly company. For example, for every product we sell, we agree to plant a tree. We’re currently in the process of a major refurbishment of the head office and when completed this will include solar panels and a ground source heat pump.

“We’ve recently introduced an electric vehicle salary scheme whereby staff can secure an electric vehicle through the business, and there’ll be charging points in our car park.”

So, what does the future hold for the Bluefin Group? William says: “From an external point of view, the group’s turnover was £30 million last year.

“We’re well on course for 10 per cent growth this year, and we’ve got an ambitious five-year strategy to reach £100 million (turnover). This is clearly achievable, and we’ve got processes in place such as yearly, quarterly, and weekly reviews to ensure we stay on course.

“Most of our trading is online now through our dedicated company website but also marketplaces such as Amazon.

“Over the next few years, we want to move towards more of a retail outlet model and we’re in discussions with some of the major retailers finalising the details of terms and conditions and we hope these will be finalised next year.”

He concludes: “Internally, we’re extremely proud of the unique culture we’ve built up. There are no internal politics or egos and we’ve developed a fun and caring environment. We work to a ‘your problem is my problem’ ethos which means we come together to share problems jointly.

“For example, during the pandemic, due to the demand for products, the customer services team was under extreme pressure and people came from other parts of the business to offer their time and help. This commitment to customer service is set to help the group achieve its bold expansion plans.”