International activity on the rise for SMUK Solutions

SMUK Solutions, a manufacturer and supplier of Elite Balustrade Systems and Elite Outdoor Living products based in Whalley, has been expanding its market internationally with fantastic results.

Thanks to strategic product placement with local partners in the Caribbean region, SMUK successfully established its business and started building a portfolio of projects in Trinidad & Tobago.

The market research carried out in the area demonstrated a requirement for a more contemporary style of railings, which matched their product range at Elite Balustrade Systems. After finding the business through their online presence, the local partner committed to visiting the UK and the trip resulted in a new working relationship being born in 2011.

Since then a number of contracts have been secured both residential and commercial projects including banks, car showrooms and office blocks. More recently they have secured the manufacture of stainless steel glass railings for both the interior and exterior requirements of a new prestigious commercial facility due to open its doors this summer.

As a result of the good working relationship and the trust they have managed to build with their partner, SMUK are now in a position to deal directly with the clients and architects on the projects, making the decision process quicker and therefore being able to complete projects on a much smaller timescale than competitors.

“Business in Trinidad & Tobago has challenged us as a business, allowing us to create bespoke systems that we have not even had the chance to consider in the UK,” said Neil Martin, international project development manager.

“This includes a domestic project where we have manufactured and supplied glazing for a floating staircase, including crackle glaze stair treads, all suspended over an indoor fish pond which is fed water from a two-story waterfall feature. This kind of project would only ever be seen in exclusive hotels in the UK, but as a residential project we met with the client in Trinidad, who will live in these premises, bringing the vision to life, along with their architects expertise.”

In the past two years the company have opened local showrooms in Trinidad, St Lucia and St Kitts. Recently they have taken another step forward by adding another showroom in Barbados, giving their clients in the region more access to the products and further developing the trust platform needed to win contracts.

“Our aim as a business is to create a complete outdoor package solution incorporating our balustrade expertise together with our innovative composite decking product,” added David Martin, managing director. “We have started as a small family business and have now grown to nine employees and moving to bigger premises in Blackburn, Lancashire, to manage the growing number of orders being placed from both the UK and overseas. With a number of new products in the pipeline waiting to be launched into the market, we are facing a very exciting year here at SMUK Solutions and we look forward to presenting our complete outdoor living solution very soon.”