British trolley manufacturer Stewart Golf has released details of a stunning 2020 during which the business almost doubled in size.
The Gloucestershire-based company saw total sales increase by an incredible 93%. Against a backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic, many golfers saw taking to the fairways as their sanctuary. For a number of golf courses, walking the course was the only option and this helped lead to an unprecedented surge in demand for trolleys.
Stewart Golf built 65% more of their iconic X Series electric trolleys than in 2019 (including the industry leading X9 Follow), and production of the R1-S Push increased by 51%. The company also successfully launched the new Q Follow to critical acclaim after four years of design and development.
The fact that Stewart Golf builds their machines by hand in Great Britain meant that it was able to react to the surge in demand rather than wait for the next container to arrive from the Far East. Staff numbers at Stewart Golf have increased by more than 50% to facilitate this growth, with this number set to grow further in 2021 as the company looks to build on its momentum. The SG factory will also expand by 50% to 10,000sqft in February.
While UK sales grew by 33%, exports soared and now account for almost 75% of sales. Stewart Golf sold to 45 countries throughout the world including the USA, Canada, South Africa, Singapore, and South Korea. European sales also increased by 16% despite Brexit uncertainty throughout the year.
CEO Mark Stewart said: “Clearly we’re thrilled with our 2020 performance. It’s been a crazy year in so many ways and we consider ourselves very fortunate that our business has been able to blossom during the pandemic when so many have suffered.
“The team have been nothing short of spectacular. Doubling in size would be a tall order in any year, but to do it with such significant obstacles in the way is exceptional.
“The international appeal of our machines has been demonstrated by our rising levels of export. Stewart Golf is truly a global brand and we’re excited about what the future holds for the business.”