East Lancashire businesses celebrate 20 year partnership

By seoBusiness

26 Oct 2021

ebusiness-uk-first-tunnels.jpg

Blackburn-based eBusiness UK is celebrating 20 years since it first provided its web development services to Altham-based First Tunnels.

The two companies have been creating ecommerce success together since before most organisations even had their own website.

Today, First Tunnels is a leading manufacturer of polytunnels, which are similar to greenhouses but covered in specially designed polythene rather than glass. The company counts the NHS, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Alan Titchmarsh and, more recently, Jeremy Clarkson as customers.

Early ecommerce pioneers

In the early years, the company sold a full range of garden products, from slug pellets to garden gnomes, as well as the polytunnels which became its specialism.

Managing director Sean Barker joined the company as its first employee, working one day a week, before joining full-time when he graduated from university. He later bought out the business from his partner in the mid 2010s.

He said: “Back when we started, the internet was still novel to a lot of people, and not many companies had websites, but I had studied Business Information Systems and the internet was something we were using every day and saw the potential for.”

After receiving funding to go ahead and build their own site, Sean said it was “exciting” to see the first online orders roll in. But a full range of products was too unwieldy, it took too long to compile the company’s print brochure and it was difficult to compete against B&Q, Tesco and Woolworths for regular garden items.

So the decision came to whittle down its offering and to specialise in polytunnels. First Tunnels soon became a leader in its field, crediting the website as a key part of this success.

The number one sales tool

“Our website is our number one sales tool,” says Sean. “Whether it’s an order received online, or browsing which leads to a phone order, it’s played a huge part in our growth throughout the years.”

Now the business employs 30 staff, and has enjoyed double-digit growth every year in recent history.

The company acquired new land on which it built its bespoke home just before Brexit was confirmed. Though prices of raw materials quickly increased as a result, so did demand from customers who wanted to begin growing produce on domestic land.

The Covid-19 pandemic soon followed. This created an upward spike in demand, both from hobbyists who began growing their own fruit and veg at home with their new-found free time, as well as those who saw food shortages as an imminent danger.

First Tunnels sales grew from £2.5m in the previous year to £6m. The ability to make sales online kept the company’s order book full, though such rapid growth was difficult to manage at first.

Sean says: “It’s not easy to find new staff, source raw materials or find extra shipping capacity out of nowhere, especially during a pandemic, but we met the challenges head on and we’ve done great.

Bright future

The company has now acquired land to build new, even bigger premises which will accommodate the increased levels of demand.

Throughout the journey, eBusiness UK has been a trusted partner, providing website and ecommerce expertise which harnessed the best available technology of the time to keep First Tunnels at the forefront of the industry.

The original website was upgraded and added to for many years until a brand new site was built in 2017, which resulted in an immediate 20 per cent increase in sales over the following months.

“Our website has been invaluable to our success and eBusiness UK has been a great partner throughout these 20 years,” said Sean.

The eBusiness UK team showed their appreciation to Sean and the team with a custom-baked celebratory cake which was delivered in person.

Latif Kothia, eBusiness UK director, said: “In the 20 years that we have been working together, we have seen many incredible advancements in web technology, and First Tunnels has grown and evolved significantly. To serve a client of this calibre for two decades is testament to our ability to adapt, learn and stay ahead of the competition.

“We’re proud of the relationship we have built with First Tunnels and with such a bright future ahead of them, we very much look forward to helping them achieve even greater things.”

Latest news

1

Pleasure Beach Resort takes home four prizes at UK Theme Park Awards Pleasure Beach Resort’s David Hill, head of rides, and Stuart Cumming, marketing manager with the awards

Pleasure Beach Resort takes home four prizes at UK Theme Park Awards

18 Sep 2025

2

Brookhouse Aerospace invests more than £500k in additional machinery to support growth Brookhouse Aerospace machining facility

Brookhouse Aerospace invests more than £500k in additional machinery to support growth

18 Sep 2025

3

Growth Plan maps out £20bn-plus investment journey Mo Isap from the Lancashire Business Board with the plan

Growth Plan maps out £20bn-plus investment journey

18 Sep 2025

4

Post Office future secured as council explores new options Abington Street Post Office

Post Office future secured as council explores new options

17 Sep 2025

5

Airframe Designs supports new defence strategy with pledge to nurture talent Jerrod Hartley

Airframe Designs supports new defence strategy with pledge to nurture talent

17 Sep 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV124 September/October Launch Event
MBP Arc Cinema Preston Opening 205
Networking
18 Sep 2025

LBV124 September/October Launch Event

The Arc Cinema, Preston, PR1 2BL

08:30 - 10:30

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Ladies Lunch
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
18 Sep 2025 - 18 Sep 2025

Ladies Lunch

Lancaster Golf Club, Lancaster, LA2 0AJ

12:00 - 16:00

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September
Sept Freelancer (1).png.png
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: September

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation
Chorley Council breakfast event new
LBV Hub Networking
23 Sep 2025 - 23 Sep 2025

Your Business, Your Region: Making sense of devolution and Local Government Reorganisation

Worden Hall, Leyland, PR25 3DH

08:00 - 11:00

Speed Networking with BNI
2.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
24 Sep 2025 - 24 Sep 2025

Speed Networking with BNI

Chorley Football Club, Chorley, PR7 3DU

16:00 - 19:00

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day
MTD drop in session.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day

Making Tax Digital for Income Tax Self Assessment (MTD for ITSA) drop-in day, Blackburn, BB1 5QB

10:00 - 16:00

The Marketing Metrics That Matter – Sept 25
Metris 25.09.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Metrics That Matter – Sept 25

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September
TMM Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
25 Sep 2025 - 25 Sep 2025

The Marketing Meetup IRL: Lancashire - September

Chorley, PR7 2SL

18:00 - 20:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin