24-27 Advertorial Ulti Prod.qxp_Grid 21/01/2019 11:39 Page 1
ADVERTORIAL FEATURE Inset: The in-house design department at Ultimate Products has helped it become the largest product sourcing and design company in the UK.
Passionate §
about
products
Simon Showman knows a thing or two about designing products coveted by both retailer and consumer that outsell the competition every time. The founder and CEO of the award-winning Ultimate Products – now the UK’s largest independent product sourcing and design company – is renowned for his business acumen, and little wonder when you consider it’s been honed over 22 years since he first co-founded Ultimate back in 1997.
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ince then it has grown exponentially from a local stock clearance company to a retail industry leader whose expertise and reputation for innovative, on-trend design, amazing client service and speedy delivery to market now span two continents, with offices and showrooms in Manchester, Belgium, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Germany. Every story starts with a brilliant idea,
Inset: Chief Executive Simon Showman cofounded Ultimate Products back in 1997
and that’s at the heart of everything Ultimate’s team of 280 talented people produces, and has been the case since Simon launched the company alongside his then girlfriend Hayley, now his wife, with whom he has three boys, and gained his first satisfied retailer customer. That first deal involved selling a container of Venetian mini blinds to a UK DIY retailer, but nowadays Ultimate works in partnership with some of the biggest licensed homewares brands around, including Russell Hobbs and Salter. And then of course there’s the company’s own brands, including cookware
“We want to make sure everyone has beautiful products in their home at the right price – that’s what we do.” PROGRESSIVE
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HOUSEWARES