What More UK: Why we try to buy local and sell global

By Scott Dawson Advertising

17 May 2021

Through buying locally wherever it can and selling globally, What More manages to support the business community at home, while simultaneously putting its products in to promising growth markets overseas.

What More UK is a Great British success story. The company has managed to grow its sales year on year.

What More UK is the market and brand leader in the housewares sector. It’s the organisation that owns the very popular housewares brand Wham. Its products are available in all the major supermarkets in the UK and a further 1,600 independent retailers up and down the country.

“A business that grows its share of a mature market survives. One that grows its share in a growing market thrives. That’s the thinking that led us to look globally for new customers,” says company Director Tony Grimshaw OBE.

The size of the UK housewares market is thought to be around £13.5bn, a figure that has remained fairly stable for the past 10 years.

The driver behind What More’s growth then is not so much at home in the UK, but overseas. Here is a company setting a great example to the business world. What More buys materials as locally as possible, and then exports finished products all over the world, 75 different countries to be precise.

Purchasing Manager Sue Beavis says: “We can’t always buy from within the UK, but where we can we do. This purchasing strategy gives us a more flexible supply chain.

“We can get certain materials quicker if they come from within the UK, close to the factory gate. We don’t have to worry so much about delays. That means our customers don’t have to worry about delays either.”

What More’s various bakeware lines, which have been so popular during lockdown are a great example. The steel comes from Port Talbot, it’s then coated in the midlands, and finally pressed in Altham.

Manufacturing companies are well known for having complex supply chains. What More has built a competitive advantage by reducing that complexity.

On top of that, it’s great for the country as a whole. Selling products overseas brings foreign money into the British economy. When it gets here, buying locally keeps it here.

What More UK manufactures housewares of all kinds. Its products range from bakeware to around-the-sink items, to home storage. It produces items for the DIY sector, the home office, laundry and even planters and troughs for the garden. All its products proudly display the Made in Britain logo.

It is a zero to landfill company and its award-winning Wham Upcycled range is made from 95 per cent recycled single use plastics.

For more information about What More UK visit www.whatmoreuk.co.uk

 

                                                     

    

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

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

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

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

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

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

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