Cotswold builder of homes for animals predicts US exports will pass £4 million
A Cotswold-based builder of homes for some of our smallest and most treasured animals has seen US sales surge through lockdown by 87 per cent – and predicts this is just the beginning.
Vanessa McDonald, sales manager for Wildlife World, builder and exporter of homes for animals.
Tetbury-based manufacturer Wildlife World predicts its sales to the US will reach £4 million in the next five years after an astonishing 87 per cent growth through lockdown.
The firm builds houses for some of our smallest and best loved animals –nesting habitats for birds, mammals, amphibians, hedgehogs and insects and was set up by Norman Seller in 1997.
Since 2010, the Cotswold business has received support from the Department for International Trade (DIT) including funding to attend trade shows overseas which have led to new markets.
With this year’s success in the US exports now account for 30 per cent of total sales.
Vanessa McDonald, sales manager for Wildlife World, said: ‘With the Covid lockdown, I wasn’t able to travel to America and attend trade shows. This meant we really had to invest in our online presence in the US.
‘We set up a new website and DIT funding enabled us to secure an online specialist in the US.’
It also got DIT support with its IP protection and an introduction to a group of specialist consultants, lawyers and accountants.
Paul Shand, head of trade for DIT in the south west said: ‘Wildlife World’s success in the US demonstrates the strong demand for high-quality UK good overseas.’
Deals have also been secured with retailers in Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Sales from the firm’s products support a range of environmental and wildlife projects including the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust, British Hedgehog Preservation Society, International Bee Research Association, The Centre for Alternative Technology, and numerous wildlife rescue centres.
By Andrew Merrell
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