How builder Dave Cullen became frustrated at how long it took to manufacture products and ended up CEO of Roxor Group

When Dave Cullen, a builder by trade, became frustrated at how long it took to manufacture products and get them to market he decided he could do better himself.

And now as CEO of Halifax-based Roxor Group, he’s looking to the future with confidence as his company continues to dominate the marketplace.

Despite the struggles faced by many businesses during the Covid 19 pandemic, the Roxor Group, has beaten the odds – reporting record sales in 2021, and achieving 15 per cent growth when compared to 2020.

And now, with ambitious growth plans, the company hopes to increase sales with a target of £100 million turnover in 2022.

With over 25 years leading multi-functional and multi-site businesses, mainly blue-chip organisations, Dave still remembers his early days in the bathroom market.

He explains: “Being involved in the building industry, I saw first hand how bathroom companies operated.

“The more bad things I saw I began to think there must be a better way of operating – with quality, customer service and customer satisfaction at the heart.

“Through people I knew, I had the opportunity to acquire an established bathroom company in Burnley, Ultra Finishing, before buying out my business partner and later rebranding as the Roxor Group.”

Over the years, the quality of service which Dave thought was so sadly lacking in the industry has become an integral part of the company’s operations.

Dave comments: “Our philosophy is founded upon building relationships with our customers through focus, commitment, and dedication to understand their needs and deliver them.

“As one of the UK’s fastest growing suppliers of bathroom products, the key to our success is our market-leading brands Hudson Reed, nuie, Old London, Asquiths, Bayswater and BC Design.

“We’ve rapidly expanded into exciting new product groups to be at the forefront of the market – offering everything from luxury to affordable products that suit everyone’s needs.

“Quite simply, we remain focused on innovation and creativity as we continually strive to bring customer the very latest in bathroom designs.”

Purchasing trends have changed in recent years.

The Covid pandemic changed the world in a number of ways and retail is no different, as shoppers have embraced the opportunity to buy more online. Dave comments: “There was definitely strong market growth during the pandemic.

“With people being stuck at home, they had extra disposable income, and spent a lot of their time online.”

However, while online sales did drop again once all stores were allowed to reopen, they’ve remained well above pre-pandemic levels.

Although the shift to online purchasing was already underway, the pandemic undoubtedly accelerated that shift.

Brands were forced to invest in their e-commerce infrastructure; those who weren’t operating online took steps to do so, while those already serving customers online enhanced their offer.

To keep up to date with savvy consumers who are more tempted to spend their time browsing the internet in their spare time rather than walking the high street, the Roxor Group recognises the importance of technology in reaching customers.

Visitors to the website can click through a range of CGI animations which illustrate all the bathroom products to their full extent.

The company has also recently launched an app to make it easier for customers to place orders, browse the latest products, take advantage of the best offers, and receive the quickest delivery.

Download and registration are completely free and include features such as: searching ranges by product code, description or scan a product barcode; checking prices and stock availability; placing orders at the touch of a button; accessing line drawings and datasheets to help when planning; and access to app-only promotions and deals.

To manufacture its products, the Roxor Group sources raw materials from across the world.

Wherever the supplies are sourced from, the commitment to quality and excellence is second to none, with an experienced quality control team overseeing the entire supply chain.

Dave explains: “If any supply issue is identified, the products affected are immediately put into ‘quarantine’ and remain there until the problem is rectified.”

Having been involved in the industry for many years, Dave

has naturally seen many changes in customer habits and expectations.

He comments: “Key things now are product availability and speed of delivery. There’s also a growing trend for sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

“As a company, we take our responsibility to reduce energy usage extremely seriously. For example, we have solar panels on the roof, and we use a biomass boiler to heat the building.

“This is becoming a cultural norm and we often can’t supply to large corporate customers unless we adhere to an increasingly complex set of guidelines. Our compliance team keeps us up to date with changing guidance and legislation.”

So, what does the future hold for the Roxor Group?

Dave concludes: “Speaking for the short term, our ambition is to consolidate and maintain the steady growth that we’ve seen in the UK market.

“The sector is shrinking due to constraints on consumers’ disposable income and their hesitancy around committing money to more costly items, such as baths and shower units.

“Longer term, we want to grow the business further in a number of different markets across the world. We’ve got plans to expand our fireclay sink range and complimentary products offering in America over the 2022/23 period, as well as resuming the launch of our bathroom products in the Middle East following the success we saw with the initial launch pre-pandemic.

“Our overall objective as a business is to increase our market share by capitalising on our strategic technological investments and pioneering the current analogue sector into an advanced digital one.”

Curriculum Vitae

Official job title? - Chief Executive Officer

Date of birth? - July 1966

Where do you live? - I’m a Yorkshireman born and bred and live in Hebden Bridge

What’s your favourite holiday destination? - There are plenty to choose from, but over the last few years it would have to be Dubai

What’s the last book you’ve read? - The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King

What’s your favourite film? - Shawshank Redemption

What’s your favourite song? - This is a tough one but anything from Radiohead’s OK Computer album

What car do you drive? - A Range Rover

What are you most proud of in your life? - It would have to be proving my schoolteachers or anyone that doubted me wrong!