016-061_International_trade_Queen's Awards 04/07/2016 09:14 Page 53
INTERNATIONALTRADE
RobertWelch Designs Ltd based at chipping campden, in the cotswolds, robert Welch designs is a family owned and managed company that was established in
In the UK Robert Welch Designs retails its products through two studio shops in Bath and Chipping Campden, as well as through its website. Its products are also sold nationwide through high end retailers and distributors, both in-store and online. The Robert Welch Designs warehousing team, based at a 34,000 sq ft facility near Stratford-upon-Avon, is responsible for worldwide delivery and has seen a record number of orders dispatched globally in the past year.
Alice Welch and Rupert Welch in 2016 with Robert Welch – Craft: Design and Industry
1955. the founder robert Welch was a silversmith and industrial designer who became one of the most respected designers of the twentieth century. His name became synonymous with developing the use of stainless steel in modern tableware and cutlery manufacture. Preserving the past for the future The design legacy left by Robert Welch provides the company with a unique resource at its fingertips. A heritage exhibit features at both of the company’s shops displaying selected original designs from the past 60 years. The company’s heritage officer, a qualified archivist, coordinates the loan of items for exhibitions and museums. Robert Welch Designs continues to invest in preserving its past for the future and intends to make its catalogued collections widely accessible for research and learning. the robert Welch designs team The company is now run by Robert Welch’s son and daughter, Rupert and Alice, who joined their father in the business in the early 1990s. Today they manage Robert Welch Designs from the top floor of the same 200 year old silk mill where their father established his studio and workshop over 60 years ago. Robert Welch Designs employs over 60 staff in the UK and most are based in the Cotswolds and surrounding area. The company has very close ties with
the local community and schools and supports work experience for local students. Rupert and Alice encourage an inclusive workplace, with emphasis on teamwork and a sense of family community that is a key contributory factor towards the company’s success.
international success: from design to delivery In recent years Rupert and Alice have developed Robert Welch Designs into a successful international brand. Today the company designs, develops, markets, distributes and retails products for the home with a focus on their renowned cutlery and kitchenware collections. The business distributes and retails to over 70 countries and regions including, most notably, the USA, UAE, Far East, Europe and Australia. The sales and design teams work directly with key accounts to initiate new and unique concepts. It is this proactive ethos which has earned the company recognition with customers and industry peers alike. Several global hospitality customers and international retailers work directly with Robert Welch Designs to create bespoke cutlery ranges. It is this adoption of a more focused export sales approach that has resulted in a tremendous growth in international trade over recent years. Export now represents over 40% of the company’s annual turnover. Rupert Welch and Alice Welch commented: “We are immensely proud to receive The Queen’s Award for Enterprise. This is a great tribute to our entire team. The award recognises our talented and committed workforce, and their success in managing the associated logistics and the business challenges involved in strengthening our export market. Every individual at Robert Welch Designs has worked incredibly hard to achieve this.”
Extract from Robert Welch – Craft: Design and Industry, published 2015
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ROBERTWELCH DESIGNS LTD Lower High Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6DY
Tel: +44 (0)1386 840880 Fax: +44 (0)1386 848804 help@robertwelch.com www.robertwelch.com
The Robert Welch Designs exhibition stand for the 2015 Ambiente
h Robertwelchuk I @robertwelchuk p robertwelchuk P RobertWelchUK o robertwelchuk
International Trade Show in Frankfurt
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