Stratford business expanding to Australia and doubling its workforce

An online furniture retailer is expanding its horizons to the other side of the world and is planning to double its workforce in 2025.

Luxus Home and Garden, which is based in Stratford-upon-Avon, began life at the kitchen table of Matthew Lock's home, as a business selling sustainable high-quality teak outdoor furniture.

After achieving huge success in 2020, business has continued to grow, and Luxus has been working with Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub for support with international growth.

Account Manager Nina Bale introduced Matthew to Angus Longward from the Department of Business & Trade and he guided Matthew through the legalities of trading internationally.

The end result is that Luxus Home and Garden secured their new premises in Sydney, Australia this year, and Luxus – which means luxury in German – Home and Garden is about to start trading in the country.

Matthew said this was an exciting new chapter in the business's success story.

"We're very proud of our company and what we have achieved so far,” he said. “We have exceptional quality furniture and great customer service along with fast logistics, enabling us to deliver all over the UK, Ireland, Europe, and now Australia making us a global brand, and market leaders in our sector.

"This year has been especially tough, getting everything in place for our Australian expansion, but we are pleased to announce that we are launching this month, at the start of the Australian summertime.”

Luxus Home and Garden is planning on recruiting more delivery drivers, designers, marketeers and customer service representatives in 2025 as well as introducing a new category of indoor furniture to their already extensive offering.

Matthew added: "We currently design and manufacture teak dining sets, outdoor sofas, benches and sun loungers, and we're now adding our own sustainable high-quality indoor furniture, including dining sets, sideboards, bedside cabinets and chests of drawers.

"Sustainability value and quality are at the heart of our business, these are cornerstones that are included in our motto, and are most important to us, because we love making our customers happy.

"Our furniture is made from purpose-grown trees in Indonesia which carry Flegt and Svlk certification, and we also purchase our raw materials through the 'Trees 4 Trees' organisation, who plant three trees for every one that is harvested in the plantation.

"We're really pleased with the growth of our business, but we know sales in UK and Europe as well as Australia will continue to grow, with our constant innovations, quality products, and focus on great customer service."

Nina Bale, Account Manager at Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub, said exporting is a fantastic way to expand a business, even though it can appear daunting.

She said: "Selling goods in Europe or further afield in Australia is not as difficult as it may initially appear with the right support and guidance.

"Trading overseas is possible for SMEs as Luxus Home and Garden is proving with the right help to overcome the complexities of the administration involved.

"We are here at the Growth Hub to steer businesses to the experts who can help to expand companies into new markets, wherever they may be.”

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