Imperial celebrates 40th anniversary with exclusive partnership in UK and Eire with Soehnle.

February 2007

Imperial, one of the UK’s fastest growing home and kitchenware suppliers, is celebrating its 40th anniversary with the announcement of an exclusive trading agreement in the UK and Eire with Soehnle.  Founded in 1868, Soehnle is Germany’s largest supplier of domestic kitchen and bathroom scales and part of the Leifheit Group, the largest home and kitchenwares company in Germany and one of the largest in Europe with annual sales of over £150m.  The deal marks a brand new venture into digital bathroom and kitchen scales for Imperial, and its third exclusive trading agreement with some of Europe’s most desirable home and kitchenware brands, including Wesco and Bugatti.

Founded in 1967, Imperial manufactured stainless steel cookware for Prestige, Swan and Boots until 1992, when it was one of the UK’s last cookware manufacturers to relocate production to the Far East.  Realising the importance of innovation to remain competitive, Imperial established an in-house design and development facility in 1993, winning its first DIY Week award for best new product within two years.

In 2003 Imperial formed an exclusive trading partnership for the UK and Eire with Wesco, a German based manufacturer of metal bins, established in 1872.  Wesco’s retro styled coloured stainless steel bins now enjoy strong sales in leading department stores throughout the UK and Eire, including Harrods, John Lewis, Selfridges and Brown Thomas in Dublin.

In 2004 former Managing Director of Addis, John Newcomb, joined Imperial to implement an ambitious master plan for expansion and sustained growth. Following John’s appointment, 2005 saw the launch of six new cookware ranges and a new kitchen accessories collection, in addition to the launch of trading partnerships with Gary Rhodes and Ready Steady Cook.
Ready Steady Cook is one of the UK's most popular daytime TV shows, attracting over 2.8 million viewers in its last series alone.  The Ready Steady Cook kitchenware accessories and cookware has become one of the UK’s most successful brands and enjoys strong sales in leading mail order, independent and multiple retailers including Argos, Homebase, Robert Dyas, JD Williams, Grattans and the Co-op.

2006 saw a further exclusive trading partnership in the UK and Eire with Bugatti, the world famous Italian family brand and manufacturer of luxury kitchen accessories and small electrical appliances, established in 1923.

Having graduated from packing boxes to his current role as Managing and Design Director, Mo B’ham is very proud of the firm his father founded.  Passionate about innovative design, Mo is delighted that Imperial has scooped a series of national awards including Progressive Housewares Best Design Team Award in 2005.  "Great design means putting the user first,” says Mo.  “This is our philosophy at Imperial and we ensure it’s embedded in everything we design.  Product innovation and customer service are the main reasons why we’re celebrating 40 successful years while many other family owned companies in the housewares industry haven’t survived.  I am very excited about the future and am extremely confident that there will be many more years of innovation and inspiration to come.”

ENDS