Willerby celebrates staycations success as turnover tops £200m
GROWTH: A production line at Willerby’s site in Hull
By Rick Lyon
Holiday homes manufacturer Willerby has delivered record turnover and profits, buoyed by a structural market change in favour of holidays and short breaks in the UK.
Willerby has posted the best results in the company’s 77-year history, with revenues above £200m for the first time, as the business continues to capitalise on the growing popularity of staycations.
In the company’s latest accounts, for the year to October 1st, 2022, Willerby recorded turnover of £217m, up 67 per cent from £129.9m the year before.
Operating profits rocketed to £15.1m, a fourfold increase on £3m the previous year, and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) reached £17.2m, growth of 224 per cent on £5.3m the year before.
The business also ended the financial year with a cash balance of £37.6m, up by £12.1m (47 per cent) year on year.
GOOD TIMES: Willerby is enjoying buoyant demand against a backdrop of the sustained popularity of staycations
Willerby is the UK’s largest manufacturer of static caravans and lodges – building a third of new units destined for holiday parks – as well as operating a growing residential park homes brand, Willerby Bespoke.
The company is at the forefront of an important and growing UK manufacturing industry, which is clustered in Hull and East Yorkshire and employs 20,000 people directly or indirectly within the region.
Willerby’s performance reflects the buoyancy of the staycation market as increasing numbers of consumers shun holidays abroad in favour of reliable, secure and sustainable UK vacations and more frequent short breaks on these shores.
CEO Peter Munk said: “There’s no doubt there has been a structural change in the market since Covid, which we believe will benefit our business and industry over the long term.
“The UK has some of the world’s most stunning locations, currently being showcased to millions of people in Sir David Attenborough’s beautiful BBC series Wild Isles. The appeal of the British countryside and coast has never been greater.
“We’ve also seen very significant institutional investment into the staycation market, especially in the holiday parks sector, and in upgrading facilities at sites across the country.
“That has all fed through to a sustained surge in holiday home ownership and bookings at holiday parks which has, in turn, generated very strong demand for our static caravans, lodges and residential park homes.
“Our order book is very strong and we’re now setting out detailed production plans for 2024, to meet the robust demand for our models.
“At Willerby, we’re all about our people, products and place – our facilities in Hull, the local community we support and our leading role in our industry, which is rooted in our region.
“Despite the unprecedented challenges we have faced in recent times, from Covid to inflationary pressures, we’re in an exceptionally strong position. We’re at the forefront of a vibrant and growing sector and the investments we’re making are ensuring we’re well placed for sustained growth.”
STRONG ORDER BOOK: Willerby CEO Peter Munk
Willerby’s full-year results are particularly impressive as performance in the first half of the year was impacted by pandemic-driven interruptions to raw material supplies and Covid-related staff absences.
The ending of Covid restrictions in February 2022 enabled Willerby to return to normal operations, resulting in a bumper second half of the year.
Willerby now has a 1,150-strong workforce and pumped £35m into the local economy in wages and salaries alone during the financial year.
All Willerby employees are paid a minimum of the Real Living Wage and a new and improved staff bonus scheme introduced during the year meant every staff member received a performance bonus.
Willerby Chief Financial Officer Sue Allan said: “Our results in the previous two business years were severely impacted by Covid and the latest full year was very much a game of two halves.
ROBUST DEMAND: Willerby has a 1,150-strong workforce in Hull
“During the first half of the year, performance continued to be hindered by the impact of Covid restrictions on our own operations and our suppliers. However, once those restrictions ended in late February we were able to move forward and go from strength to strength.
“We’re particularly pleased that employees in every part of the business have shared in this success. It’s a guiding principle of the business that everybody contributes to the company’s success and also benefits from it.”
During the financial year £1.3m was invested in research and development of new products and improved manufacturing processes, including upgrading the Willerby range to the company’s new sustainability specification, the Willerby GreEN Standard.
Willerby is prioritising sustainability across all its operations, including shifting to biomass energy to heat its manufacturing facilities. The company has also worked with partners to create a sustainable end-to-end supply chain, using local suppliers and recycled materials wherever possible.
Willerby is majority owned by independent investment house Equistone Partners Europe, with a minority stake held by the management team.