About Us:
Back in 2011, Jon Head, Andy Bowyer and Chris Bowyer were all members of Wolverhampton Cricket Club, the three friends had discussions throughout that year about starting an MRO supply business culminating in the establishment of Engineers Mate®.
An industrial unit was leased on Pensnett trading estate, a website was built and the first order was taken on the 12th of January 2012. With rapid early growth it was the end of 2013 when Engineers Mate® decided to apply for membership of IADA, fortunately, the application was successful. Joining IADA at the end of 2013, with sales already around £1m per annum, it was decided in April 2014 to open a new branch in Telford.
With continued investment the business continued to grow, sales were already in excess of £2m p.a., so in March 2016 we asked Rob Beech to join the business and was also welcomed to the Board of Directors. Rob had vast experience in the MRO market and was a key acquisition for Engineers Mate®.
The business has continued to go from strength to strength, investment in infrastructure, IT, staff, new branches, stock, Engineers Mate® has now established themselves as the largest, independent, MRO supplier in the Midlands with sales now in excess of £7m p.a, 4 depots, 9 delivery vehicles, 5 external Engineers and 31 members of the team.
Joining IADA:
Jon Head, Engineers Mate® “We applied for IADA membership very early in our business journey, I had known of IADA since it’s inception in 1998 as I was working predominantly with the UK trade at that time. Truthfully, we didn’t expect our membership application to be accepted. We were confident in our abilities to be successful within the Group but we didn’t fully meet all the criteria required. Fortunately, after several meetings, we were accepted and have been an IADA member for nearly 9 years now.
Being in IADA has been absolutely key to the growth of Engineers Mate®, it’s actually impossible to quantify all of the benefits, were do you start? Having access to world renown brands, cost prices comparable with the Nationals, technical support from manufacturers.. it’s endless.
IADA is also a different organisation to the one we originally joined, the last 4 or 5 years IADA itself has grown, the opening of the NDC, associate membership of ONE MRO, new suppliers, new members, Troy membership, massively increased supplier spend, it’s now better than ever. But also, just being able to discuss business, the industry, alternative suppliers with other members is invaluable, the amount of industry experience amongst the members is incomparable within the UK”
