British kitchen manufacturer Callerton celebrated 40 years in business and retail partnerships, at an anniversary event held at the Fire Station in Sunderland.

Left to right: James Herriot, Dawn Short and Gorden Stanger Leathes

Around 70 principle dealers were invited, as well as manufacturing partners from RK-Tec which includes Neff, Siemens, Blum, Franke, Bosch, Cosentino, and Sensio.

The company founded by James Herriot and Gorden Stanger Leathes is now led by Dawn Short who became CEO in January 2022.

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Speaking at the event, Dawn Short highlighted the importance she placed on a ‘can do’ ethos and culture, pinpointing four key areas to business success: Team & Teamwork, Engagement & Interaction, Relationships & Partnership.

She stated: “I can’t emphasise more the belief that working in partnership and developing mutually beneficial relationships with one’s customers, are viewed as critical elements of our business model.

“This having been at the forefront of Callerton’s approach to business from their inception 40 years ago.”

Founding director James Herriot spoke about the need for training in the industry, with the company having updated its training programme to help retailers and the company ‘get it right first time’, saving time and costs.

He also introduced Insights to Kitchen Design, a publication featuring a series of kitchen case studies with alternative design proposals, to inspire consumers and provide designers with solutions.

Callerton revealed a redefining of its doors, features, finishes, cabinets and accessories, into six Concepts: Origins, Legacy, Boutique, Elemental, Lifestyle, and Vision.

These were supported by marketing with Concept Cards featuring real-life case studies, to be used by retailers with their clients, as well as a revised website.

In addition, the kitchen manufacturer held a Q&A session with its retailers covering topics as diverse as showroom displays through to succession planning.

The event culminated in an evening, which saw awards presented to its kitchen retailers who had demonstrated long-standing service.