AWARD-winning Antrim based MDF mouldings firm, SAM, has announced £7 million of investment – and a new 45,000 square foot warehouse in the town.
The local company, the UK’s leading manufacturer, confirmed that more jobs will be in the pipeline too.
The company currently has a 175-strong workforce and the new warehouse – groundworks are already underway – will help it grow even further.
A spokesman confirmed that not only will it enable SAM to fulfil its delivery, stock hold, and stock range goals, but it also embeds the firm deeper into the local business community by ‘providing new opportunities for local people’.
As a commitment to bringing the best in market products and setting the bar on quality and standard, SAM’s continued investment has meant the business has been able to focus too on its business relationships with merchant customers to support their growth.
SAM’s mission is to ensure these customers have ‘the right product, in the right quantity, in the right place, and at the right time’.
Around £2 million of the total investment is being pumped into ongoing annual costs to ensure this remains a reality for customers.
Half of this segment of the investment was for a new, improved paint finish which launched to market in January, the business is now investing and spending the second half – a further £1 million per year – into distribution, to ensure the delivery of the widest product offering in the marketplace within the fastest time.
The wider £5 million of the total investment is into the new 45,000 square foot warehouse in Antrim.
SAM has been trading for more than 30 years, and it has long term plans to grow its business, both locally in Northern Ireland, and across the wider UK merchant network.
Its commitment to its local community is evident through its continued fundraising and donations for local charities – for 2023 SAM is working closely with the local Marie Curie organisation – and sponsorship of sports teams and a school therapy pet.
Gerard Wilson, Sales Director at SAM, said it was an exciting time for the firm.
“We hope that the benefits of this significant investment will be felt by both our customers and the local community for many years to come,” he said.
“It’s great to see that the steps we’ve made for our industry have a local impact in the form of the construction of our new warehouse within Antrim too.
“We are committed to improving the impact we have, and on a local level we will continue our sponsorships and charity donations, in 2023 and beyond.
“For our customers and merchants, they have had three really challenging years with industry price increases, supply issues and delayed work with the pandemic.
“During this time we’ve worked incredibly hard to scale up our level of marketing support and communications with suppliers to make their lives easier and be a trusted reliable partner to all our customers.
“People and relationships are at the heart of what SAM is about.
“Even when other suppliers were struggling, we ensured we had stock so that we remained consistent and reliable.
“Our investment has empowered us to achieve more in this area, and provide an even better supplier experience than before – the benefits of our investment are felt throughout our whole customer base already, and beginning to be realised within our local business community too.”
The company, based in Newpark Industrial Estate, were recently named ‘Overall Supplier of the Year’ at the annual Jewson Awards.
