UK Enterprise Awards 2021

291 | UK Enterprise Awards 2021 Best Horsebox Manufacturer 2021 - Europe Since its initial inception in 2005, Bloomfields Horseboxes has gone from strength to strength. From humble beginnings to impressive expansion, it all began when Founder and Owner, Dean, decided he could ‘go it alone.’ Having come from an equestrian and engineering background, Dean was working for a premium horsebox manufacturer, known for it’s 26-tonne lorries, when he realised that there were not many options for people who wanted something smaller, but of the same high quality. “He quit his job and built his first ever horsebox in the shed at his parents’ home,” explains Helen. “That first box quickly sold, and the business began to grow from there.” Helen met Dean whilst working in France. She was looking to buy a left-hand chassis box, have it kitted out by a UK manufacturer, and then resell it. It was whilst doing some research on what was available in the UK that she came across Bloomfields Horseboxes and subsequently met her future husband! “I knew on that first visit that there was absolutely no comparison on quality, and it had to be Bloomfields,” she enthuses. “I was so impressed with the quality of the work and knew that, with a background in sales marketing, I could help this business grow.” Now known as the face of the brand, Helen was an early adopter of using social media to promote Bloomfields and raising brand awareness, particularly on Facebook. At the time, the social network was gaining popularity with people connecting with old school friends and keeping in touch with family but hadn’t yet been widely explored as a marketing or sales tool. This meant Helen could use Facebook to get excellent visibility for Bloomfields, which helped to spread the word, especially abroad. From this activity, Bloomfields was approached by agents in France and Luxembourg which helped boost sales further and by 2012 Bloomfields was renting around 12,000sqft of factory and office space, and outgrowing it fast. Eventually the plan to invest in premises of their own came about and Helen and Dean began hunting for the ideal place. A premises in Nottinghamshire caught their eye, but appeared too big on paper, despite being perfectly located. Deciding that they could rent some of the space out, the dynamic duo went ahead and moved into it in 2017. However, Bloomfields easily filled it and they are now in the process of buying another venue. With 40 staff, agents around the world and an excellent reputation, the future was looking bright. Loved and trusted by their loyal customer base, Bloomfields is renowned for its high quality of the chassis and exemplary coachbuilding. However, with a starting price tag of £40,000 this can pose a problem for some riders. Dean and Helen came up with a solution – they founded another brand, Equito, for customers with a smaller budget. The chassis of the vehicles are pre-owned and the finish, while still of exceptional quality, is less luxurious and therefore cheaper. “The boxes still undergo the same rigorous testing (including a 160-point in-house inspection) as the Bloomfields brand to ensure they are always completed to a high standard,” Helen elaborates. During lockdown, the Equito brand really took off and Helen and Dean currently have 170 trucks on order. Helen also recently launched an off-the- shelf clothing range and is now commissioning her own Bloomfields designs ready for the next season of shows and events. The brands success story is certainly inspirational, with Dean and Helen growing the business into an international multi-brand horsebox empire in just 16 years. Year-on-year turnover continues to grow and shows no signs of slowing down, and Helen has the answer. “Not only is our build quality and engineering a step ahead of the rest, but we also reinvest the vast majority of our profits back into the business. We are committed to ensuring our customers and their horses get a box which guarantees safety and strength, not ‘getting rich quick’.” Contact: Helen Moody Company: Bloomfields Horseboxes Website: https://www.bloomfields.co/ When choosing a horsebox, there are a few essential things which horse owners need as necessities, with safety and reliability coming high above features such as colour, design and luxury add-ons. We catch up with Bloomfields Director, Helen Moody, about how the firm came into existence. Jun21348