Stores Direct

BUSY Mike Birtwhistle is fired up about business.

Stores Direct has expanded into other markets - providing bathrooms, furniture and soft furnishings with other products in the pipeline.Now his internet-based company Stores Direct is billed as the country's largest supplier of wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, flue systems and associated heating products.The company was placed 45th in the business league table which ranks Britain''s 100 private companies with the fastest growing sales over a three-year period.* ON TRACK: Mike Birtwhistle (right), of Stores Direct, with Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson celebrating the firm''s inclusion in the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 Awards"The company will continue to invest in many new products and services, further strengthening the foundations of the company to enable it to grow."Said Mr Birtwhistle: "The business development and strategy of the company always remains focused on bringing high quality products to our customers at the best possible price, whilst focusing on high levels of customer service.He said: "Using Stores Direct's well-planned business model, the company can continue to grow without the restrictive cash flow problems and overheads most conventional businesses experience.CAPTION(S):Mike began selling wood-burning stoves from the back of a Vauxhall Corsa in 2001.The company, based at Pennine Business Park in Bradley, has a strategy to continue increasing its lead in the market place and to capitalise on its expertise delivering fragile, niche products and home furnishings."Stores Direct is now in a position to continue expanding at a healthy pace without any external investment, while still maintaining good profitability."With its start from humble beginnings, with zero investment and a lot of determination and hard work, Stores Direct has become a multi-million pound turnover company that is well-respected in its industry with solid business relationships that are key to the company's success."

* ON TRACK: Mike Birtwhistle (right), of Stores Direct, with Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson celebrating the firm''s inclusion in the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 Awards