British Adhesives (Brit-Ad) is a family run business which set up in late 2019 by Anthony Rook (Tony) and his wife, Sally.
Brit-Ad MD Tony Rook
The Lincolnshire-based has gained singinficant market traction over the last two years with its business supplying adhesives, machinery and spare parts to the woodworking and furniture industry, as well as the UPVC market. Furniture & Joinery Production caught up with managing director Tony Rook to how the business was faring.
Having gained 30 years’ experience in the adhesvies industry, two-thirds of which were spent working for a large global adhesive company as northern european sales manager, Tony has direct and valuable experience of working with multi-national furniture, panel and door manufacturers such as Ikea, Jeldwen, Resopal, Beauflor and others. This rich insight imbues Brit-Adm with a direct understanding of, and respect for, the challenges and opportunities within the British adhesives marketplace.
At the moment, Brit-Ad supplies a wide range of adhesives, machinery, equipment and spares representing WPR-TAKA for machinery and speciality reactive hot melt primers and cleaners, Unicol for EVA hot melts, Chemfix for brick bonding adhesives, Selena for M S Polymer and Silicones, and Gard Chemicals for speciality cleaners.
Among the company’s key target audiences – kitchen, bedroom and furniture industry and the profile wrapping and flat lamination industries – Tony says his business typically supplies this sector with reactive hot melt poducts. On the other hand, he says that Brit-Ad can source anything the customer requests and will spend time doing so, nothing is too obscure or too much bother. “We love to spend time with our customers, and we guarantee to give them the personal touch – we are in the service and solutions business so we keep in touch with all our customers on a weekly basis,” says Tony.
The business was set up just a few months before the pandemic started in March 2020, so they feel at home in what is a challenging environment, but Tony acknolweldges that his business might not have survived without the commitment and proactivity of his fantastic suppliers.
“Great suppliers are the key to any successful business, as is a solid personal relationship and home life. Other than the first lockdown, we have visited our customers and traded as normal, obviously making sure all approprate PPE reguklations were respected. We had to adapt and really be an focused and entrepreneurial company … the products we sell now are not the products we expected to sell!
“During the start of the pandemic we actually sourced hand sanitisers as a service to the community and just to tick over the turnover. We probably didn’t make any money after delivery but it kept us busy, and of course we could promote our business and our brand. Since then our business has flourished and to date every month has been a record turnover, so much so that we have had to rent another warehouse!
“Our larger deliveries are handled by a local transport company where they store the bulk adhesives and deliver direct to our customers, we also arrange deliveries for customers directly from TAKA when extra large volumes are required.”
Looking at how the market has influenced the development of the business, Tony’s view is clear and concise. “Our biggest influences are first of all our customers, and also our peers, whose standing we resepct, look up to and aspire to be some day – whilst being a confident and individual company with our own initiatives and beliefs.”
This self-wareness adn quiet confidence is evidenced by the the way the company sets out its simple yet effective customer-focused agenda. “Companies using Brit-Ad can relax knowing we are doing some of the work for them, keeping large stocks of adhesives and spare parts to offer exceptional service (48 hour) taking the stress away from ordering – we are big enough to matter but small enough to care!
“For instance, when there was the raw materials crisis in June 2021 we had stock, and customers who normally purchased directly from large multi-national adhesive manufacturers called us and we set up supply to them inside one week. Once a company has dealt with Brit-Ad they see the benefits for themselves,” says Tony.
Regarding the current trading climate, Tony says he feels Brit-Ad it is well set up to help furniture and joinery manufacturers: “We have stock in a local warehouse, with competitive pricing, and a personal touch with fast and free delivery service. We have a ‘nothing is too much’ attitude, we are 100% customer focused. We acknoledge that the cost of living crisis is a problem, but for us, because our overheads are low, we are sure that our customers will not be greatly effected by the current situation. In fact, our customers have in general been fantastic in understanding the issues and our needs when we have had to discuss pricing discrepancies, says Tony.
Looking ahead, what does Tony see for 2023? “Our plans for the remainder of 2022 are to employ another driver and to have a warehouse operative/picker. Let’s see where we are at in 2023, but I would like to have several vans actively collecting and delivering spare parts, as well as delivering our core adhesive products. “Thanks to all our loyal customers and a special thank you to our amazing suppliers, let’s hope we can continue growing together for the rest of 2022 and beyond.”
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