22 | SME News Midlands Enterprise Awards 2023 The managing director of In2 Kitchens & Bedrooms, Mr Daniel Follows, has explained how he started the company in 2019, after many years of working as a kitchen fitter for other local companies, and observing what he thought was being done wrong. He decided to set his own company up to begin providing a bespoke service, and give customers something they couldn’t find anywhere else. One of the things that really sets In2 apart from the rest is that Daniel hails from a joinery background, which is a major advantage when it comes to manufacturing and fitting kitchens and bedrooms. This is the reason why he always looks towards qualified joiners when he’s looking for new people to staff the company. He knows that joiners have a very wide knowledge of the trade, and that they are instinctively able to offer valuable reassurance to customers. This is particularly important when manufacturing and fitting kitchens and bedrooms that are designed to fulfil customers long held dreams. In2 Kitchens & Bedrooms’ work begins at a small workshop based in the centre of Stoke-on-Trent, where all the carcasses and some of the doors are manufactured in house. The workshop boasts panel saws, edge banders, and a CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine, that controls factory tools according to pre-programmed software. This means that everything can be assembled in the workshop, with any colour, any size, and any internal specifications taken in to account. For instance, if a customer desires a grey shaker door, combined with a light oak woodgrain internal carcass, that is no problem at all. In the workshop, In2 cuts and edges all of its own carcasses and wardrobes, so the customer is able to have any coloured internals they fancy. In2 has hundreds of different colours and colour combinations to choose from. In2 also uses the latest 3d renders and visuals software to allow the customer to actually see what it has to offer. The company does not currently have a showroom displaying finished kitchen and bedroom examples, and there is a very good reason for this. An additional space of this nature would cost a great deal of money, that straight away is eating into the company’s profit margins. Instead, In2 prefers to pass the savings directly on to its customers, and avoid the overheads of a costly showroom. This system has already been working to great effect for the previous 5 years. The workshop houses Daniel’s office, where currently all the sample doors and worktops available at In2 are available for customers to see and touch. The internal colours are also displayed, ready for them to pick their internal carcass choices, along with all the handles and accessories they require. Daniel also has a dedicated works vehicle that is fully kitted out with all the door, worktop and carcass samples available. Many customers are delighted when this van pulls up In2 Kitchens & Bedrooms is a maker and supplier of custom kitchen and bedroom furniture, handmade in its Stoke-on-Trent workshop. It offers free measurement, design and quote services, using 3D renders and visuals software, to help bring its clients’ design dreams to life. The company is joiner-led, and operates predominantly through word-of-mouth recommendations. Kitchen & Bedroom Manufacturing Business of the Year 2023 - West Midlands
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