Rapid Growth for Clarke Oil

Business is up at Clarke Oil; a family-run specialist oil distributor - based in Studley - with a passion for their products.

Clarke Oil is not simply a distributor, however. They also work very closely with their customers, in a consultative style, to ensure that each customer’s need is fully met. 

Through providing such a thorough service, it is perhaps unsurprising that interest in Clarke Oil and their products has skyrocketed. This increase in demand has recently led to them overgrowing their workplace and seeking to expand.

On the recommendation of Darin Tudor, Business Coach for the Business Growth Service, Clarke Oil  contacted CW Growth Hub in mid-April 2015 to see what support was available to assist them in growing their business. It was at that time that they were introduced to Phil Peak, Senior Account Manager at CW Growth Hub.

"Rapid growth in a small business can sometimes be difficult to respond to," Phil said, "Limited resources can restrict capacity, leaving a choice between comfortable stagnation or the uncertainty of continued investment.

"Working with Clarke Oil, I knew straight away that their business was not only well run, but also dead-set on growth. My goal was to support Clarke Oil in reinvesting in their business and help them to reap the rewards of sustained growth," Phil told us.

Having gained an understanding of Clarke Oil and their situation, Phil weighed up the options available to assist them in the expansion of their premises. This then lead to him introducing Clarke Oil to Tim Powell of the University of Warwick Science Park.

Working with Tim, Phil helped Clarke Oil to apply for a grant through the Rural Growth Network (RGN). Their application was accepted and Clarke Oil received £10,000 towards the cost of renovating their workplace. Their brand new office space, located within their warehouse, has now been completed and Clarke Oil is looking at a bright and busy future.

Following the opening of their new office space, we spoke to Emily Clarke, co-owner of Clarke Oil.

"The support we received from Darin and then from Phil was brilliant - just what we needed," Emily said.

"Clarke Oil offer the local market quality branded oil & greases with dedicated technical support & service ," Emily added, "Now we have the extra capacity that this grant has allowed us to build, we are looking to trade with even more local companies, big or small."

Pictured left to right: Phil Peak, Senior Account Manager (CW Growth Hub); Emily Clarke & Paul Clarke, Co-Owners (Clarke Oil)