Neil’s swimming pool problem opened the door to a new direction
NEIL Ginger set up his company Origin Frames ten years ago after years in the family firm designing and building swimming pools.
During that time, Neil, 38, realised there was a gap in the market for bespoke folding doors.
Many of his customers wanted to give indoor pools the feel of an outdoor pool when the weather was nice by installing fully opening, floor-to-ceiling windows.
He says: ‘The idea was born out of our frustration at being unable to find quality suppliers to provide the doors.’
Now Origin, in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, employs 54 staff and last year turned over £7million. Despite the downturn, Neil says business is booming. This year he expects turnover to top £12million.
Neil says: ‘We haven’t been affected by the downturn at all. In fact we have been growing 40 per cent a year. We took steps in 2008 to increase our market share in the expectation that sales might suffer, but this didn’t happen.’
The company has an office in Dubai and exports outside Europe but has yet to expand within the eurozone. Neil says: ‘We keep looking at Europe but it has to be at the right time.’
All of the company’s doors are made in Britain. Where possible materials are sourced here.
Neil says: ‘It is important to me that our suppliers are local and accessible. That way we can control quality and we also help other firms.’
Origin is the latest entrant in Financial Mail’s Made in Britain competition, which celebrates successful and innovative British manufacturers.
Neil, who believes that the Government should be doing more to help manufacturers in Britain, says: ‘We are an astonishing nation when it comes to manufacturing and this needs to be celebrated.’
The deadline for entries is the end of July. To take part email enterprise@financialmail.co.uk.