they have increased their number of showrooms from three to seven. “It would be wrong to say the recession hasn’t affected us because at the end of the day a bedroom unit is a luxury item, but we have held our own and the product is still selling well. Our aim was always to produce furniture that was competitively-priced but over the years the quality of Starplan’s furniture has also improved substantially, to the level where our furniture is now as good as anybody else’s – but aimed to suit individual pockets. We also offer keen financing packages, which can take a lot of the pressure off the buyer.” With Starplan, customers can take advantage of 0% interest-free options. As Starplan manufacture everything they sell and rigorously control the quality of each item and its installation in your home – with a buying direct policy resulting in factory direct prices – quality and value are assured. All materials are sourced from reputable, ethical suppliers and Starplan maintains demanding quality control standards in its factories. Thanks to modern computer design software, customers can see the latest
Starplan fitted wardrobe exactly as it will appear in their room. With over a dozen Starplan showrooms throughout the UK, prospective customers can get up close and personal with the entire range of over fifty display bedrooms, each beautifully decorated and waiting to transform the purchaser’s home. Starplan now owns Vono Beds - one of the oldest and most respected bed manufacturers in the UK. After selling Vono beds for over a decade, Starplan took the opportunity to purchase Vono – who have been manufacturing topquality beds since 1896 - when it came to the market in 1982, knowing that Vono stood for the same things as Starplan - quality, choice and value. Rather than making thousands of beds a week, Starplan concentrates on making a smaller amount of bespoke beds, which are individually-tailored to suit the needs of customers and can come with a warranty of up to five years. Standing on very solid financial footing, Starplan is still very much a family-run company, founder Mervyn Wilson being joined in the business by his two sons and one daughter.
Best Wishes To Starplan, From
As for the future of the distribution end of the operation, Declan Rafferty concludes: “We have to keep the overheads down. The biggest factor is obviously the cost of diesel. Even though it has come back a small bit, diesel remains very expensive. I was looking back at some old receipts the other day and I saw that in 2006 we were paying 64p for a litre of diesel and it’s now £1.12 plus VAT. “We could spend up to £4,000 a week on fuel in Northern Ireland alone, so that’s the biggest overhead in terms of transport. We have to keep it under control and we’re constantly looking at ways of increasing economy and providing the customer with the bestvalue service possible.”
Contact Details: Starplan 173 Killyman Road Dungannon, BT71 6LN Tel: 028 8772 3663 www.starplanbedrooms.com
We are pleased to be a tyre supplier to Starplan and wish them continued success for the future
Sevroll UK Ltd. is a producer of aluminium systems for sliding, folding and room dividing doors.
www.sevroll.eu Email: infoUK@sevroll.eu
DEPOT LOCATIONS Armagh • Dungannon • Saintfield Belfast • L/derry Castleblayney • Dublin
Tel: +44 (0)28 37510666
D.W. McNEILL & SONS LTD HAULAGE CONTRACTORS Specialists In The Transportation Of New Furniture To And From Scotland, England, Wales & Ireland Avondale Ind Est., Ballyclare, Co. Antrim BT39 9AU Tel: 028 9334 2396 Fax: 028 9332 2346
CONTINUED BEST WISHES TO STARPLAN 94
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