A MOBILITY aid and home adaptation specialist based in Newcastle has reported a record turnover figure as revenues climbed to over £2million in its latest financial year reports – a 45% increase in turnover from the same period last year.
As a result, the Independent Living Showroom has expanded its 16-strong team and invested more than £35,000 into improving its showroom at Kingston Park, adding an extra four vehicles to its fleet and upgrading the customer website.
The largest of its kind in the North, the company has welcomed five new starters since January and managing director Bob Lines says he’s delighted that the team’s hard work has paid off.
“We are very excited about the future as the business goes from strength to strength,” he said.
“We have been fortunate enough to have great products and a talented and dedicated team who firmly believe that ‘life doesn’t stop’ because of disability, age or illness. Following the success over this past year, we are now putting into motion our strategic plan which involves continued job creation and improvements to our offerings.
“When people choose a company for their mobility needs they are not just looking for a quality product, they want to work with a company that understands their requirements too.
“Investing time and resource in training and education has reaped rewards for us as we are now an approved supplier for trusted brands such as Stannah and Osprey Healthcare. We have also earned a deserved good name and reputation across the region which has enabled us to expand the business further.”
The Independent Living Showroom was formed in 2012 when leading stair lift manufacturer and distributor Dolphin Lifts and Mobility joined forces with adaptation specialist Shape Adaptations. Both Dolphin Lifts and Shape Adaptations were established, local, family-run businesses with more than 50 years’ industry experience between them.
Last year, Mr. Lines launched the ILS Academy – a new training arm of the business to share his experience and that of his network of experts to help those in the healthcare arena keep abreast of the latest continuing professional development (CPD) standards and benchmarks, care packages and trends in the industry.
“All of our employees have been trained to an exceptionally high standard as we deal with very sensitive situations on a day-to-day basis so to be able to invest further into our team is a great achievement for us,” he added.
The company provides numerous products for homes and businesses for people requiring independent and adapted living from wheelchair ramps and hoists to stair lifts, wet-rooms and specially adapted kitchens, and is an official supplier of leading manufacturers such as Stannah, Otolift, Meditek, AKW and HomeAdapt.