Blackburn Distributions are delighted to be able to celebrate their ten year anniversary. The business, based in Nelson, Lancashire, are a leading supplier and partner to the supplement, healthcare and pharmaceutical industries are one company that can be proud of their achievements. From when the company was founded in 2004 by current owner and MD Ben Blackburn it has thrived and grown, relying on the mission to exceed customer expectations in their drive to achieve an increasing customer base both in the UK and worldwide.

Initially starting from problems Ben had sourcing small quantities of diabetic sweetener online due to existing companies ‘only selling to business’, ‘only accepting business cheques’, with long lead times and no fixed price availability, Blackburn Distributions saw a niche in the market which would move the supply of these types of supplements alongside the ‘online norm’ of providing exactly what the customer required. The business plan would see them become one of the first neutraceutical suppliers in Europe to list prices online and provide quantities to satisfy the varied demand of consumers.

With money Ben had put aside for University fees, the young entrepreneur purchased product and sold it on EBay for a good profit, in turn providing consumers with exactly what they required. These principles still remain solid in the current business plan, just at different levels.

The business has continually developed and now stocks 110 products in 18 different sizes and counts 25% of its income from overseas customers, a figure they are looking to increase to 35% over the next twelve months of 2015 through increased overall sales and heightened awareness amongst the European, African, Australian and American markets.

With new bespoke premises recently being completed the organisational structure is now nearing completion as Ben and his team look at continuing their recent 20% yearly growth into 2015.

Ben explains, “Our journey has been incredible and we are extremely proud of what we have achieved over the last ten years. This is certainly not a time to sit on our laurels and we can see our business growing and improving year on year with the same hard work and forward thinking into our products and changing customer requirements.

The fact that we are a UK based company with all of our products being produced in this country means there is an element of trust with our customers and this is something we would like to build on in the coming 24 months.

Our products are being used by international athletes and regular people, each of whom are gaining a better quality of life and a feeling of well being they may have never experienced before.”

With good products, excellent distribution techniques, high levels of consumer satisfaction and a growing database comes a successful and thriving company and how Blackburn Distributions have achieved this is certainly a fabulous blueprint for further start ups to follow.

To the next ten years we wish Blackburn Distributions all the very best and we hope to see them grow and develop into a company that is seen as a market leader not only in the UK but across the globe. It goes to show that a simple idea coupled with an element of bravery can see one local businessman achieve his goals of success and longevity.