Pictured above: (l-r) Steve Cram presents the award to Denys
Shortt watched by Paul Reeves, Brian Colquhoun and Simon Moore from
Yorkshire Bank
One the region's leading entrepreneurs has been presented with a
special memento to mark his company reaching its one billionth
sale.
Denys Shortt, who started DCS Europe in Timothy's Bridge Road,
Stratford, in 1994, received a specially engraved glass award from
former World, European and Commonwealth 1,500 metre runner Steve
Cram.
The presentation took place at Yorkshire Bank's Financial
Solutions Centre at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry ahead of a
networking lunch for its members.
Denys said Yorkshire Bank had played a crucial role in the
development of DCS Europe which was now the UK sales and
distribution company for Gillette, Procter & Gamble, Colgate
and Unilever.
"We joined Yorkshire Bank a few years ago at a time when the
banking industry was starting to crash," he said.
"Finding them was a miracle for our business and our
relationship has been quite amazing.
"For example I went to a Yorkshire Bank event and it turned out
they had an amazing Corporate Social Responsibility policy which of
course I quickly copied!
"DCS now has a similar CSR policy which supports sport,
education, the environment and health care. I am on the board
of the County Air Ambulance and Warwick Business School which
wouldn't have been the case if I hadn't been to that meeting.
"Business community plans are a very important part of growing a
business - it isn't all about money.
"A billion is an amazing achievement for DCS - I had to check
with my children how many zeros a billion actually has - it is nine
by the way!
"We have just invested £2 million in a new toiletries
factory in Stratford-upon-Avon and it is probably the hardest
achievement of my career. I believe that we need to support
manufacturing in the UK because it isn't eco-friendly to import
shampoo and shower gel from abroad.
"We have created 50 new jobs and are making a wide range of
products. We sell our "Made in England" strength and export to 70
countries around the world including Pakistan, India and Libya.
This is an amazing achievement when you consider these countries
have very inexpensive products already.
"We are very proud to have reached one billion sales and to be
based in Warwickshire."
Simon Moore, senior partner at Yorkshire Bank's FSC at the Ricoh
Arena, said DCS Europe had benefited from its Investing for Growth
scheme which was set-up to enable companies to maintain their
growth in a variety of ways.
"We are proud to be associated with DCS Europe," he said.
"Bearing in mind the uncertain times in the economy, it is great to
see DCS carrying out such a fantastic job.
"This is a significant milestone to have been achieved and
Investing for Growth which helps trading businesses invest in
quality growth opportunities to buy or expand their premises, hire
new staff, launch a new product or win a new contract was perfect
for a business such as DCS Europe."
Steve Cram, who holds motivational seminars and Q and A sessions
for Yorkshire Bank customers as part of his ambassadorial role,
added: "Many congratulations on reaching this significant landmark
and all the best for the future and reaching the second
billion!"