On a mission to service Scotland’s need for an independent, reliable, and trusted Aga Cooker refurbishing business, Steven Williams launched Saltire Cookers from his garden shed in 2020. The business focuses on supplying showroom-standard refurbished Aga Cookers, and provides an efficient electrical conversion service, as well as refurbishment options, for existing cookers.

Installing new controllable electrical systems in place of the Aga Cookers’ older fossil fuel burners allows the traditional ‘always on’ oil and gas models to be converted into an efficient, economical electric model, meaning they can continue to serve their owners for decades to come.

With Saltire Cookers being the largest authorised installers of the new, controllable electronic system in Scotland, combined with the surging energy crisis, demand soon grew for Steven’s services across the UK at the beginning of this year. Looking for ways to cope with the rising orders, Steven approached Business Gateway for help and guidance on how to grow the business.

Steven accessed a range of Business Gateway’s growth business services, including one-to-one support from a dedicated business adviser, as well as advice on funding, strategic planning, and access to specialist market research reports.

Support from Business Gateway also helped Steven to establish a strategic plan for how to manage the increased demand for Saltire Cookers’ services, which led to him enlisting the support of subcontractors.

Armed with the support of his adviser, Steven was also able to lay the groundwork to meet targets for future growth, and now has his sights set on selling his services overseas, having already experienced demand from Italy and France.

Since approaching Business Gateway, Saltire Cookers has upgraded its workspace from a small garden shed to a fully-fledged commercial unit and showroom. The business was a finalist for the 2022 Elevator Awards, and has successfully increased turnover 100% year-on-year, making it a six-figure business.

Steven Williams, owner and founder of Saltire Cookers, said: “It’s easy to get stuck in the day-to-day operations and sales when running your own business, but the support and regular check-ins we received from Business Gateway allowed me to focus on growing and setting goals to scale. Having that one-to-one contact has been really beneficial for asking any questions, utilising industry contacts, and organising support.”

Guilherme Theiss De Rosso, Business Gateway adviser, commented: “Steven approached Business Gateway looking for ways to meet the increasing demand for his services, which we were able to support through our growth business offering. Saltire Cookers has grown immensely over the last few months, and I look forward to watching them continue to grow in the future.”