A chance conversation helped Catherine Fotheringham seal her first wholesale deal to supply whisky glass holders to House of Malt, a leading online whisky specialist.
Made from the lids of reclaimed oak whisky barrels, the holders are just one of the many new products created by Catherine and her team at The Upcycled Timber Co.
Based in Whitehill Industrial Estate, Glenrothes, the business, which was launched last November after Catherine was made redundant, now hand makes tea light holders, coffee tables, cufflinks, picture frames and clocks from unwanted wood.
Catherine said: “We already sell throughout the whole of the UK via our website - www.theupcycledtimberco.com, eBay and Etsy but House of Malt is our first wholesale deal. I would love to secure more deals like this and I am currently targeting boutique gift shops throughout Scotland in the hope they will also stock our products. Taking a stand at the Ideal Home Show in Glasgow in May will also give the business greater exposure to potential stockist.”
A longstanding love of reclaimed timber helped Catherine turn the hobby she enjoyed with her husband into a thriving enterprise which has already created two additional part-time jobs.
With ideas overflowing and a desire to one day export her products, the 41-year-old, who turned to Business Gateway Fife for advice, is enjoying the creativity running her own business brings.
She said: “I keep waking up with new ideas and emailing them to myself! I would never have started this business if I hadn’t been made redundant. Each day I am excited about what I am going to do and what the future holds. Business Gateway Fife has been a great help. I’ve attended a lot of their free workshops on things like email and content marketing, finance and HMRC. My adviser, Shona Morrison, is a fantastic support, sign posting me to a range of potential funding streams and offering great advice on how to grow my business.”
To find out how Business Gateway Fife can help your business visit call us today on 01592 858366 or email success@bgfife.co.uk
