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Friends in warm places
From small beginnings, Kernow Fires is now one of the leading fireplace retailers in the south west, warming homes all over the county and beyond.
K
ernow Fires owner Simon Breckon had no idea about the company he was going to build when he joined his father in business in 1998. His father owned a local coal business and they both saw potential in the growing trend for woodburners. In an effort to keep warm, Simon installed a fire stove in the office and so the first Kernow Fires showroom was born. “When I joined the business it was really slow and the first few years were pretty tough,” says Simon. After his father retired, Simon bought the rest of the company from him. “We’ve worked really hard on it for the last 18 years and here we are today in a very different scenario. But I still consider the team to be family,” Simon continues. He attributes a lot of his success to his team and the fact that they are always striving to be better today than they were yesterday. The company has come a long way and is now a market leader, supplying and installing the best brands of fires available in the UK and Europe. With the addition of a second fireplace
showroom in Redruth in 2014 and five teams of installers, over 25 employees are helping to drive the company and continue its expansion with a biomass showroom and installation service systems. Most recently, growth has come in the form of the incorporation of Kernow Metals into the company and the addition of skilled metal-worker, Jamie Whitelaw. Training has been paramount to the success of Kernow Fires, including apprenticeships for office staff and installers, product training for all staff as well as specific marketing, management and self-development training for individual members of the team. Installation Manager Ross benefitted greatly from various courses. His knowledge of fires, fitting and chimneys is second to none and, with the benefit of in-depth management training courses, he manages the five teams of installers as well as liaising with builders and architects, aiding the building and design process for larger builds. “Simon’s focus on training has been really beneficial for the business and for
ë ABOVE Filming with Paul from Fish For Thought í BELOW Simon with biomass boiler installation
ê BELOW Simon and his dad in 1998
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