Following six years of outstanding, continuous growth in overseas sales, Rex London has been awarded a Queen’s Award for International Trade.
The company’s successful year on year expansion is largely due to export, which has risen 250% since 2012. Nigel Biggs, ceo, highlights the importance of staying connected with international customers, attributing Rex London’s successes to this outward facing strategy:
“We take a global outlook when it comes to trade,” he comments. “Our websites are fully translated into French and German, we attend multiple international trade shows each year, and have recently established a physical presence in the Netherlands and Belgium from which we sell direct to local retailers.”
The future looks set for more global expansion. With further plans to expand in Europe, and distribution arrangements being set up in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, Rex London currently export to over 70 countries. Their unique products can be seen all over the world, from small independent shops to galleries, museums, and large department stores.
Rex London will celebrate its success during a royal reception for Queen’s Awards winners in the summer, and will be able to use the emblem for the next five years.
The company began trading in 1981 with a market stall in London’s Portobello market and currently employs over 70 people. It has become a major international wholesaler of home and giftware, offering a range of more than 2,500 products to retailers worldwide. Spanning homeware and gift items, 95% of products carry Rex London’s unique prints, developed in house by a team of designers.
Top: Proudly holding the Queen’s Award for International Trade emblem are Rex London’s ceo Nigel Biggs, (centre), with (from left to right): John Gurney (managing director), Les Whiteman (design director), Candy Smith (head of buying) and Taig Karanjia (chief operating officer).
