Manufacturer eyes export growth after funded business support

A fourth-generation family-run business in South Ribble that manufactures and distributes animal feed and bird food mixtures has its sights set on expanding its export markets.

It comes after receiving a range of funded support through Boost which is Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub and is led by Lancashire County Council.

 R&E Bamford, located in Leyland, and founded over 100 years ago, employs 53 people. The company already has export markets in Ireland and Kuwait but is looking to expand its brands across Europe, including its premium ‘Top Flight’ brand.

 The firm’s trade sales manager, Elin Lloyd, who joined the business 10 years ago in an administration role, now leads the trade sales side of the business. With a vision to make 2024 the year Bamford’s launched its international growth strategy, Elin initially contacted the Department of Business and Trade (DBT) for export advice.

 She was introduced to the Women’s International Networking (WIN) pilot, a DBT programme exclusively designed for female-led businesses and entrepreneurs. Through the programme Elin met Lynne Gillen, trade partnerships manager at DBT, who introduced Elin to Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub.

 Elin said: “Exporting is a major decision for our business and part of the challenge to getting started is knowing how to seek the right avenues for growth. The big advantage about getting support is there is always someone out there who knows more than you on any topic, you just need to find them.

Boost has received £2.6m from the UK Government for its current programme of business support through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund contributions of 10 local authorities in Lancashire, in addition to funds from Lancashire County Council and the Department for Business and Trade.

 Boost’s mission is to help Lancashire businesses thrive and since 2013, it has supported over 14,000 businesses, helping create 3,500 jobs while adding £100m to the local economy.

It offers a range of funded business support services and a team of business advisers Lancashire businesses can talk to.

 Boost’s Business Advice Service met with Elin carried out a diagnostic overview of the company and determined that Bamford’s vision to scale the business through export markets made it suitable to join Boost’s Scale to Thrive service, which supports ambitious leaders who want to scale up and push ahead on innovation, investment, and internationalisation.

 It offers one-to-one personalised support (in-person and virtual), coaching sessions, workshops, and peer-to-peer networking.

 As well as the peer group and coaching sessions, Boost’s Scale to Thrive service provides action learning masterclasses on different topics.

Elin split the attendance at the masterclasses over the relevant team members at Bamfords, making it a company-wide resource involving all the team.

 Elin said: “The Scale to Thrive service has been brilliant. Everyone in the cohort has turns to share their insights and challenges during the team workshops. I then review what’s been suggested for Bamfords, consider the ideas presented and decide if I can implement them.

 “I’m gaining confidence all the time, but before the Scale to Thrive service I had nothing to benchmark it against, so it is helping me to make the right decisions.”

 Lynne Gillen also introduced Elin to South Ribble Borough Council which provided Elin with helpful advice regarding Bamford’s export plans and secured funded export training sessions for Elin with North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce.

 The council was also able to offer financial support to upskill the Bamford team and to help the business become more energy efficient through the council’s BEE scheme and training grants currently on offer to businesses in South Ribble and funded by UK Government.

Backed by the wealth of support, Bamfords has now attended several trade shows in Europe in 2024 to help expand its international presence.

The working relationship with the Chamber’s export specialists also helped Elin ship products to the trade events in Europe.

 Since attending the trade shows Bamfords has received a number strong leads.

Elin and her team are now liaising with distributors to create potential new markets in Europe and the Middle East.

Having secured their first order from the trade show leads, Bamfords will be shipping products to Maastricht, southeastern Netherlands, in the next few months.

 Lancashire County Councillor, Carole Haythornthwaite, lead member for economic growth and environment said: “With a long history serving the public, businesses and now the export market, Elin and the team at Bamfords are clearly enterprising, innovative and ambitious to keep their business growing.

 “I am delighted to see this example of business support providers working together to make sure businesses get the support they need and to make the best of opportunities they get.

"In this case to grow and expand into export while still providing an attentive, individual service locally.”

 South Ribble Councillor and cabinet member for economic growth, planning and investment, Ian Watkinson, said: “It is fantastic to see how the support offered to businesses in the borough is benefiting a thriving and historic company such as Bamfords.

 “This demonstrates how a package of support from our local authority and its partners helps to drive growth in businesses of any size, and subsequently grow our local economy as well.”

 Elin added: “The DBT, South Ribble Borough Council and Boost, have really opened doors for me, to help us scale the business.

"I would highly recommend seeking support to any scaling business in Lancashire, we are very fortunate to have such a wealth of connected support offerings and programmes to choose from across the county.”