Component kitchen and bedroom manufacturer Getley UK has been a success story since its launch and development into complete kitchens with the Alku brand. We talk to managing director Paul Bryan and marketing director Dan Hughes about investment in the company and future growth

An experienced team leads the complete kitchen brand Alku, with the senior management including CEOs Mark and Emanuela Getley, managing director Paul Bryan and marketing director Dan Hughes

British kitchen and bedroom manufacturer Getley UK has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2006.

It was founded by CEOs Mark and Emanuela Getley, who owned a kitchen and bedroom retail showroom and trade outlet in Staffordshire.

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Following the administration of their carcase supplier they acquired a 20,000 sqft factory and set about creating cabinets for their business and supplying local customers.

Within 12 months, encouraged by the response of local tradesmen and the volume of work, Mark and Emanuela Getley closed the showroom in Rugeley, to focus on the ambitious plan of setting up their manufacturing outlet in Stafford.

A year later, Paul Bryan joined the company, and was promoted to managing director in 2019, taking over the day-to-day running of the business.

“When I joined, we produced 100 cabinets a week, and there were six of us in the factory. It has grown to what it is today with 70 employees across two sites”.

Paul  Bryan explains how the company has managed its growth “We reworked the production flow, invested heavily in new machines, recruited skilled staff and increased capacity to 1,200 cabinets a week out of the Getley site.”

A New Start

In 2020, Getley introduced Alku – the Nordic term for ‘new start’ at KBB in Birmingham. However, it’s expansion was hampered by the Covid lockdown, so was relaunched at KBB Birmingham in 2022.

Demonstrating its diverse offer, Alku can also provide Dekton sintered stone doors and ribbed vertical wood.

Alku offers 30 kitchen ranges, including Slab, Shaker and In-Frame designs, bespoke sizes and custom painting, plus 49 cabinet colours.

“We offer exceptionally good service and products, spanning the complete kitchen market that we manufacture in house” explains Dan Hughes.

Targeting mid to high-end independent studios, which focus on German kitchens, Alku was created to offer a more classic or traditional look alongside contemporary styles.

“We are not looking to replace the German suppliers; they do what they do superbly. We offer the German experience with a traditional British made product.

“We have introduced some of the services they offer such as plan-checking and panels, fillers and corner posts supplied to the customers sizes. Our principle is to focus on traditional elements that retailers can’t get from the German manufacturers”, explains Paul Bryan.

Showroom Network Growth

Alku was launched, along with a second 16,000sqft factory to cater for its expansion, and the company has invested in in-house painting facilities, machinery for timber doors and dovetail drawer boxes.

Getley opened a second 16,000sqft factory to cater for the expansion of the Alku brand and also invested in painting facilities as well as machinery to create timber doors and dove tail drawer boxes.

Currently sold through 37 national showrooms, the Alku brand has plans to double that figure.

Getley appointed brand manager Maria Langley, last year, to help connect with retail partner showrooms and to grow the brand.

Paul Bryan continues: “I believe by quarter four of this year we’ll be up to 50 to 60 showrooms. We don’t want 200 retailers all over the country. We want to be able to offer exclusivity and really drive the partnership. whilst supporting retailers with dealer protected areas.”

With the recent administration of Mereway Kitchens, it would be remiss not to consider it also offered an opportunity for establishing more Alku dealers.

As Dan Hughes acknowledges “We’ve acquired a lot of business through it” but also adds: “When you see a company struggling or failing, it’s not something we take pleasure in. Mereway was our competitor, but I have an immense amount respect for the company and its lineage’’.

Personal Touch

Predominately selling traditional kitchens, the company encourages retailers to use the ‘untapped’ experienced team at Alku to help them upsell to In-Frame.

The Alku range offers coveted cocktail bars as part of its 30 strong kitchen ranges, predominately in traditional styles.

“We understand it may be daunting for a retailer that’s only ever designed a modern Germanic kitchen to have the knowledge on how to design an In-Frame, which is why we offer comprehensive one to one in-house training”, explains Hughes.

Alku provides its customers with a full list of all CAD drawings including unit sizes, hinge and feet locations.

Hughes continues: “We have regular meetings with the production and CAD teams, for every In-Frame kitchen manufactured in our factory to ensure that it’s 100% accurate, so we can iron out any potential production problems before it reaches manufacture.

“At this point we can contact the customer and ask ‘Is this correct? Are you sure you happy with the design etc? So, everyone is on the same page”.

Complete Kitchen Future

So what’s next for the Alku brand?  Paul Bryan comments he is seeking sustainable growth, adding  “brand awareness is something we strive for, so Alku becomes a recognised name within the industry”.

Dan Hughes notes retailers should feel safe that the business is secure.  He concludes: “They need to know we’re in it for the long term.

“We’re offering our showrooms an experience in the way they trade with us. We want to strive ahead and engage with the customers more and ask what they would like to see and what they would sell if we gave them tools to do it.”