A MALVERN cleaning products company has seen its market extend "from Hereford to Hong Kong" since the launch of its website.

Express Cleaning Supplies, based at Malvern Common, said it had seen sales rise by 40 per cent since launching the website 18-months-ago.

The company, established in 1991 by Mike Boxall and Steve Dempster, started by supplying the Worcestershire business community with cleaning materials and equipment.

Wanting to expand into new markets, it approached the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire, which helped the firm set up a website.

"An internet-based business can seem intimidating if you lack the experience but in just 18-months, e-commerce has turned our business around and provided unique opportunities," said Mr Boxall.

Increased turnover

"Last year we managed to increase our turnover by 40 per cent compared to the previous year. With the help of the internet, we have evolved from a local supplier to a leading, nation-wide company."

Mr Boxall said the company had received "great support" from the chamber, especially e-business advisor, John Chacksfield.

The website was good enough to win the company the regional DTI-backed Interforum E-commerce Award, which recognises firms showing "demonstrable business success" through e-commerce solutions.

The site also won a Golden Web Award from the International Association of Web Masters and Designers (IAWMD).

As well as selling its product range of "everything from mops and buckets to large, industrial pressure washers" on the internet, the company also keeps new and existing customers up-to-date via e-mail.

Domestic customers include Tesco, McDonald's, British Telecom and Worcestershire County Council, among others. The growth of the company has seen staff levels increase from an original team of five to its current level of 12 and, recently, a new showroom at the company's head office site was opened.

Express Cleaning Supplies' focus has always been on customer service and the staff's efforts were rewarded recently with a Corporate Times Award for Excellence in Customer Services.

Earlier this year, the company employed former professional tennis coach and business graduate, Adrian Bates, as marketing manager.

Mr Bates, aged 27, from Evesham - who was runner-up in the British National Tennis Championships in 1996 - will further develop the brand, as well as developing new markets.