Mark Stewart, Managing Director at indoor and outdoor rattan furniture specialist Desser, talks about recent investments, future plans and senior updates within the business.
Desser and Co have been trading since 1919, with the business now being run by the fourth-generation descendants of the founding family. Having started the business importing wicker baskets from Belgium, their product base has grown over the last century, as has the number of countries they import from. With factories in Indonesia, China and India, they produce their vast range of indoor rattan furniture and outdoor furniture and a facility in Manchester, which produces all their cushions and soft furnishings.
The business has continued to grow and, despite a slow start to the year – like many across the industry, they have seen positive shoots emerge. “As it has been across the industry, we have seen a slow start to the year, with the hike in container prices affecting costs for everyone and the economic depression impacting consumers’ confidence in considered purchases like ours,” Mark said.
“The rising costs of fuel and container prices are a challenge – but one that is being faced by so many businesses in our sector and beyond. The challenge is to try to balance the expenses we are faced with, avoiding passing on too much to the end customer, while still ensuring we provide an excellent product at an acceptable price – this is not always easy!
“However, there have been positive signs in the last few months, and we are delighted to have brought onboard new customers with a huge presence in the market, such as Next. We have just moved premises too, having been in the same offices for almost 50 years. Our new showroom, office and warehousing facility are modern, purpose built and provide everything that we need to further elevate the business in the coming years.”
Now situated at The Parkway Centre on Longbridge Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, the business has also expanded in other areas. This includes the appointment of Zac Cassidy as their new Sales Manager, who is “already making his mark in the industry”, Mark said, adding: “David Stewart, another member of the family, has been promoted to a director role within the business, having earned his place at the table over the last seven years. We have also launched new ranges for both our indoor and outdoor collections.”
In keeping with what’s new, Desser has invested in upholstered furniture as part of their indoor offering in time for the winter months, as well as a wider collection of outdoor furniture for next season. Mark revealed that a new website is also in the pipeline: “Although we have recently given our website a facelift, we are about to invest in a brand-new website to make the customer experience a better one, increase our exposure and develop our relationship with retail outlets.”
Other areas of importance at Desser are sustainability and keeping on top of current consumer behaviour. “People are searching for the minimalist ‘scandic’ and ‘wicker’ look, which has led to a huge increase in sales of our wicker chairs, tables and storage items,” Mark added. “Also, the idea of bringing ‘the outside in’ seems to be a key trend this year, not just for conservatories, but also throughout the home.
“We also offer a sustainable product, as natural rattan grows around trees in Indonesia at a rapid rate. This means it is cropped often to ensure the successful growth of the trees. Our packages go out to customers in recycled cardboard and bags too.
“We have a range of recycled fabrics, and are looking at moving to use recycled inners for our cushions – as long as the comfort is not compromised! Obviously, all of our day-to-day rubbish is sorted and recycled too. We take being a sustainable business very seriously as we know consumers are looking for greener alternatives.”
As the business continues to grow, Desser is looking to expand within the retail sector and is “actively” looking for partners. “We are looking to grow our exposure in all forms of retail shops, and are looking for outlets that are interested in stocking our goods and the concept that we offer,” Mark said.
“There are no bulk stock commitments required and we finance, stock, advertise, dispatch, deliver direct to the consumer and service everything, thus taking all the strain away for the stockist. If you’re interested in working with us, please do get in touch.”
