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INTERNATIONAL TRADE
QA Magazine: Why do you think you’ve been successful with international trade? HM: We’ve been successful due to the quality of our partnerships. We ensure that we work with partners that we trust – ensuring they are credible and respected in their own markets. While figures are important, the most important aspect is forging strong relationships by collaborating with businesses who uphold similar values to us, conducting themselves with the highest standards.
QA Magazine: What gives you relevance and prominence in international markets?
Moss & Adams’ range with 100% UK sourced recycled plastic bottles
We faced distribution and bureaucracy challenges due to an increase in container costs, but we continued to successfully send products overseas. During this time, we made the decision to absorb all additional costs to maintain customer and supplier relationships. When the pandemic first struck, we quadrupled our production of anti-bacterial handwash and have continued at this rate ever since. We used this an opportunity to engage customers by asking them to design a bottle sleeve to thank the NHS. We then printed 250,000 limited edition packs and donated all profits to NHS charities. Since then, we have continued donating to local charities to show our ongoing support. QA Magazine: Could you tell us a bit more about your environmental credentials and why that matters? HM: Since our inception, we have been a catalyst for changing hearts and minds with our approach and values. We place huge emphasis
on our packaging, with our Moss & Adams range comprising of 100% UK sourced recycled plastic bottles. We always strive to make improvements where we can, with new products launching in recyclable and biodegradable packaging, containing plant derived ingredients. Our ambition is to continually develop and distribute products consumers love to use without having to compromise. As a business, we’ll be reducing our carbon footprint by moving premises as our stock will be located at one site, rather than at multiple sites. We’ll also have electric car charging points and 100% LED energy efficient electrics throughout our facilities. We are also ISO 14001 certified, the internationally recognised standard for the environmental management of businesses. QA Magazine: What are your plans for growth and investment in the coming years? HM: Our whole investment strategy now revolves around moving to our new larger premises. This will enhance our production capabilities and meet growing demands year- on-year by investing in the latest technology. As a result, we will be doubling the rate of bottling trigger sprays which may enable us to work with retailers on own-brand products. We will continue to research and develop new products to expand the range and to enhance our offer. The newest launches include a naturally derived cleaning paste, luxury handwashes and sprays. THE LONDON OIL REFINING CO LTD Astonish House, Unit 8, Thornbury Industrial Park, Woodhall Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD3 7AF Tel: +44 (0)1274 767440 • info@astonish.co.uk www.astonish.co.uk @AstonishCleaners #BeAstonished
HM: Our strict ethos of manufacturing cruelty free products with no animal ingredients gives us a major advantage across global markets. The demand for kosher certified products, for example, means that we have become the number two brand for kitchen cleaning products in Israel. We have been trading there for 20 years via a distributor and our exports have reached more than 1.3m a year. Research has shown that our prominence in developing markets such as the Caribbean and eastern European countries is due to our products being more cost effective, credible and ethical. To support this, we always ensure all our packaging is in the language of the country we export to for total transparency and trust- building. QA Magazine: What impact did the Covid-19 pandemic have on the business? How did you respond to the challenges faced?
HM: As a manufacturer, we had to quickly understand and implement all safety measures for a Covid- 19 compliant business operation. We supported and retained our workforce by ensuring we all could continue working safely on site. By working together with trust and integrity, we reconfigured production lines, implement rigorous cleaning procedures and social distanced. Throughout this time, it was vital to us that we supported the team and their families.
Astonish NHS Charities Antibacterial Surface Cleanser
Queen’s Awards Magazine 2022
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