FWB celebrate over 50 years as experts in product and procurement solutions
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From five tons of nuts and bolts to over 50,000 products across nine core product groups in just 50 years. Supply chain partner, fwb, celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
Experts in delivering the best product and procurement solutions to the construction, infrastructure, industrial and public sector markets, much of fwb’s success can be traced back to its earliest days and the actions of entrepreneurial founder Mr Henry John Key.
Established in 1963, from a garage in Stoke-on-Trent, fwb started out selling nuts and bolts. Founder Mr Key gained broad, yet valuable experience in various industries post his RAF years. Putting this experience to good use, he spotted a gap in the market for a company to supply a wide range of fasteners in all shapes, sizes and quantities; 50 years ago fasteners were sold to local industry in just a small number of sizes in limited quantities.
Entrepreneurial concept and passion for product quality and customer service
With the customer at the forefront of his mind, fwb was born. Mr Key was determined from the onset, fwb’s name would be synonymous with the very highest standards of products and services, and this remains a core principle of fwb.
Approachable, committed team leads to expansion
Long hours assembling orders led Mr Key to appoint his first employee in 1964. Flexibility, hard work and complete commitment to the customer saw the team grow to 10 employees in just four years. As a result, fwb had outgrown its humble premises and expansion meant a move to the Whieldon Road site in Stoke-on-Trent. Although further development has taken place, this location remains fwb’s main site today – a testament to Mr Key’s forward thinking.
Now, with a healthy 155-strong workforce, fwb has three key sites which enable the company to provide a national service but with local expertise.
Extensive technical expertise
Commenting on fwb’s 50 successful years, chief executive Ian Hodge said: “Over fifty years on, fwb is one of the few remaining independent procurement specialists. There are many employees with high levels of technical expertise, market and product knowledge who have worked for, and contributed to fwb’s market position for many years.
“By delivering the service and market-leading technical expertise required, whether for large-scale civil engineering projects, daily maintenance or repair and operations contracts, as a business we continually develop our service; a prerequisite for achieving our vision ‘to be our customers’ preferred supply chain partner’. As we celebrate our story so far, we are always looking ahead to ensure we carry on offering a seamless supply chain for our customers in the 50 years to come.”