FEATURE
With the launch of the “ Invest Stockton-on-Tees ” campaign , which highlights why the borough is a great place for business , Lusso Stone managing director Mike Manders explains why it ’ s an ideal “ fit ” for his business …
First established in 2014 , Lusso is one of the UK ’ s fastest growing luxury home brands that designs , produces and retails its own collections of high-end bathroom fixtures and fittings , as well as an expanding range of homeware .
And after significantly increasing its scale and revenue over the last three years , Lusso has invested in a new , stateof-the-art , 10,000 sq ft headquarters in Teesdale to accommodate its growing workforce .
“ We looked at several areas for suitable offices but finally found our home in Stockton ,” said Mike . “ We liked what was going on here in regard to investment in the town with the riverside development and the commitment to town centres .
“ It ' s a great environment in which to set up a new business , or for an existing one to relocate to . There are lots of contributing factors for us including local talent , transport links and a wealth of other successful businesses surrounding us that want others to flourish .
“ Networking with and using other business ’ services in the area has been a key element for our growth .”
With direct rail links to London , Teesside International Airport on the doorstep and access to the UK ’ s largest freeport , Stockton is well connected not only to the rest of the UK but to the rest of the world . There ’ s over 500 hectares of available land and premises , so whether firms are looking for ready-to-move office space or facilities or need the right space to bring a vision to life , Stockton has it .
“ Our new flagship headquarters is on Teesdale Business Park on Stockton riverside .” said Mike . “ It ’ s the perfect building for us to develop our team and grow the business further .
“ It ’ s still early days in the building , but to be able to work in a beautiful and professional environment goes hand in hand with our brand . Our clients and employees are certainly impressed with our new building and surroundings . The Lusso HQ now boasts a bright open-plan collaborative working space , a Peloton and free weight gym , social areas , American pool tables and its very own Lusso Bar for team building events , or simply a place to have a beer at the end of a busy week !
“ It ’ s got great transport links , accessibility for staff and clients , and there ’ s already some big companies in the immediate area , including our eCommerce partners Visualsoft , which makes monthly meetings very convenient !”
It ’ s not just the available space that makes Stockton an obvious choice – the borough comes with a skilled workforce of more than 121,000 too .
Mike explained : “ There ’ s a great pool of talent and we love the fact that we can recruit within the Tees Valley . The people we employ have primarily come through the excellent universities and colleges in the area and many have already worked in eCommerce , which is perfect for us .
“ The workforce is talented , passionate and committed to growing our brand as much as myself and the CEO are .”
Lusso is growing fast and is building on its 32-strong team .
Mike said : “ We ’ re recruiting right now , looking for talented people to join the Lusso family . We have all types of departments hiring including sales , customer service , marketing , creative , PR , technology , supply chain and operations .”
Stockton is a great place to live too . With six thriving towns and an exciting , year-round events programme alongside charming parks and high-quality leisure facilities , there ’ s always something to do or somewhere to explore .
“ Our team loves living and working here ” Mike said . “ It ’ s very diverse and there ’ s always lots of things to do and enjoy . At Lusso , we like to promote a healthy lifestyle , so having the river and Tees Barrage right next to us helps our staff to walk out and explore at lunchtimes . Many even use the network of cycle links to commute to and from work .” The council has a dedicated team to support new and existing businesses that
Luxury – The stunning Charleston freestanding stone resin bath from Teesdale-based Lusso .
want to set up or relocate to the borough . It also provides continuous support to businesses operating here .
Mike said : “ We were well supported by the council during Covid-19 and while undertaking our development of the new headquarters . It ' s a council that cares and wants to help promote SMEs in the region .
“ Its biggest strength is its vision . There are good quality developments and investments ongoing in the area like the Hilton Hotel which is right on our doorstep , the recent investment and refurbishment of the Stockton Globe and the master plan for the riverside , which will be fantastic when it ’ s complete .
“ These enhancements all bode well to attract talent and further businesses just like ours , and I ’ m excited to see what the future brings .”
Lusso has featured in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 for the last three years as one of the fastest growing UK companies and recently hit £ 100m in accumulated sales revenue .
“ We want to hit £ 100m in annual sales within the next three years and we ’ re confident that we ’ re in the right place to reach that target ,” continued Mike . “ We have plans to roll our offer out to other categories such as hardware , furniture and flooring .
“ We are a business that has its roots firmly planted in Teesside . We employ local talent and are proud of where we come from .”
For information about career opportunities at Lusso , email careers @ lussostone . com . For more information about why Stockton is a great place for business , visit investstocktonontees . co . uk or follow on social media by searching Invest Stockton-on-Tees .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 95