When it became apparent that the effects of the new coronavirus would define 2020, Captain Fawcett Ltd applied for and was successfully awarded a New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership ‘Business Resilience and Recovery Grant’, administered by Suffolk County Council and intended for the support of businesses affected by Covid-19. Now approaching the final weeks of the funding period Captain Fawcett Ltd has made excellent use of the most welcome allotted grant. Alert to customer demand for a product which swiftly became obligatory in everyone’s 2020 personal hygiene kit, the company quickly switched production to create essential hand sanitiser. With the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership grant, the company was able to make essential upgrades to storage facilities, production equipment and stock control systems. Furthermore, with 2020 being Captain Fawcett’s 10th Anniversary year, a range of new products had been scheduled for release. Following many months of investment in development, design and production, to delay would have posed a real financial risk. Thanks to the support of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, Captain Fawcett was able to forge ahead with the planned launch of 8 new products. One of these, Nebula, a Signature Series collaboration with the American rock star John Petrucci, led directly to Captain Fawcett’s most successful trading weekend since the company was established. In this hugely disruptive and unpredictable year, the world’s purchasing habits switched nigh on overnight to mass shopping online. Ever attuned to the needs of the customer and with the help of the grant, Captain Fawcett achieved rapid improvement in product stock control. This enabled swift response to new consumer habits in facilitating smooth deliveries to customers in 48 countries. Indeed, with the significant increase in orders, Captain Fawcett Ltd has witnessed considerable business expansion in this the company’s landmark anniversary year.
This business expansion has been supported by New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, through the Business Resilience and Recovery Grant Scheme. The scheme’s assistance has been of huge value both in expanding the business and sustaining full time and freelance staff in the UK and maintaining relationships with distributors and partners worldwide.