34 When did you start up and why? I started in the import industry over 30 years ago when I was 19, working for a very good friend of mine. I travelled out to Indonesia to buy and sell stock for a garden furniture company. What prompted you to launch the business? I founded Makasi Imports Ltd in 2014 after previously being a partnership in another wholesale business for 13 years. Makasi Imports has grown steadily over the last 11 years, with the business based on a farm in Surrey. We started with one main warehouse on the farm, and now have several units with a much bigger storage capacity. We now also have five times our original storage capacity at our Indonesian warehouse, with our own kiln drying facility and a team of over 40 people. What challenges have you overcome since the company’s launch? We had a large fire at the UK warehouse a year after I started the business that very nearly bankrupted us, but I sold my UK house and invested the money back into the business and Makasi is now thriving 10 years later. Tell us about your product offering. We are the UK’s largest specialist importer of driftwood-style teak root giftware, home accessories, home and garden furniture. What are your most popular products? Wooden ducks, molten glass bowls, and Teak root bowls. How do you keep your designs fresh and current? We keep up to date with current trends
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA0NTE=