24nd July 2006
SWIG FURNISHES SUCCESS AT ROZEN

From starting out in a former pigsty, Rozen Furniture has expanded into a £1-million business with a big reputation and a bright future.

Surroundings weren’t important to partners Ian Cox and Alan Pearce as they worked round-the-clock to get their Helston-based business off the ground.

Their only ambition when they set out in 1985 was to establish an unrivalled name for making bespoke furniture of the finest quality.

Skill and application paid off, orders and prestige grew, and from a two-man band in a pigsty they moved to a converted farm building and a 13-strong team that includes some of the region’s finest designers, cabinet makers and craftsmen.

Today, from their present headquarters in Ruan Minor, Helston, they supply not only the whole of the South West but some of London’s leading retailers.

From the stylish emporia of Heals, Nordic Style and Teed Interiors, Rozen’s made-to-order furniture and kitchens, ranging from sumptuous dining suites to home-office cabinets and elegant storage cupboards, grace homes all over the UK and abroad.

A big part of Rozen’s success, says Ian, goes to the assistance the company has had from SWIG. Rozen was one of the first companies to receive a SWIG loan in 1996 with a sum of £15,000 towards expansion costs, and the company again received a SWIG loan of £27,650 in 2001 for its next stage of growth which has seen Rozen more than double its turnover to around the £1million mark.

He says: “The help we got from SWIG was essential in enabling us to take that extra step forward, to build on the momentum we had established.

“In particular, the money we borrowed was pivotal in securing our very important business with Heals.

“It meant we were able to purchase sophisticated, computerised equipment that enabled us to drill and profile material to the most exact results, providing the quality and consistency of craftsmanship on which their, and our, reputation is built.“

As to the future – “We are busy at the moment, we are energetic in seeking new work and, yes, we are optimistic we can keep going forward, building on our own efforts and the boost that SWIG has given us.”

In turn, SWIG fund manager John Peters pays credit to the “drive, imagination and skill” that he says have been the hallmarks of Rozen’s success.

“You could say they are just the sort of business people SWIG’s loan funds were created to assist. They provide a fine example of what can be done when a small, ambitious enterprise is given the additional funding impetus it needs in order to grow and prosper."