This week we met with Jason Mace, the founder and Managing Director of Gala Tent Ltd to learn how the business was formed and how it has grown.
When Gala Tent was established sixteen years ago, the main aim was to fill a gap in the market for party and catering tents for the Millennium New Year celebrations. We initially only sold one type of marquee in a single size known as the original Gala Tent.
Gala Tent was formed with a humble investment of £2000 in stock using the limit on my credit card, this was the birth of Gala Tent. From this point onwards we reinvested heavily in the brand and purchased as much stock as we could afford.
We have now grown into the UK’s largest supplier of marquees and gazebos. We currently have £4million worth of stock available in our warehouse, all of which can be delivered on a free next day service.
As Gala Tent Ltd began to grow we added several new product lines including: gazebos, tables, chairs, heaters, lighting and everything else a customer could need to host an event. This expansion allowed us to grow into the biggest supplier of marquees and gazebos and a one stop shop for event requirements.
The Gala Tent range revolutionised the events industry, for the first time it was made possible for customers to buy a marquee for less than it costs to hire. In essence Gala Tent created a new market sector in the form of consumer marquees which were available to the general public to purchase.
There are lots of companies offering marquees and gazebos now, why should customers choose Gala Tent?
It’s true, there are lots of marquee and gazebo suppliers on the market now, but Gala Tent has remained the number one brand for marquees and gazebos in the UK, despite the increase in competition.
As the market has grown so has the Gala Tent brand, we have diversified our product range to meet customer demand whilst still staying competitively priced. We also offer a free next working day delivery on all orders unlike most of our competitors.
We believe that the service we offer is vital to our success at retaining customers. We offer a full range of spares for every product we sell as well as unrivalled warranties of up to 7 years. Our spare part range combined with our free next working day delivery service makes us the number one choice for event organisers as they can be confident that their event won’t be affected by a broken structure as a spare part is only a day away.
Jason Mace, the founder and Managing Director of Gala Tent LtdHow has Gala Tent managed to keep its product range relevant and up to date?
Since Gala Tent began in 1999 we have been developing our product ranges constantly to make sure that they are the highest quality available. The only way to stay relevant in today’s market is by being innovative and relevant with the products you supply.
An example of our patented product design is the Gala Tent Fusion range which is a unique structure combining the affordability and easy assembly of a standard marquee with the strength and durability of a large semi-permanent modular structure. This unique design is at the cutting edge of the marquee market and is the ideal option for customers looking to leave a structure erected for an extended period of time. The Gala Tent Fusion is available exclusively from Gala Tent and is the only structure of its kind available on the market.
We don’t just create new products, we also develop and improve our existing structures to guarantee that they are the highest quality available on the market. Gala Tent was the first company to use profile aluminium joints on gazebos. Profile aluminium is much more durable than cast aluminium which can easily crack or break.
How is Gala Tent looking to expand in the future?
Currently we are aiming to capitalise on Gala Tent’s international expansion, we have currently established eleven international distributors. This figure is set to double in the next 12 months. The company’s expansion has been centred around Europe and we now have distributors in: The Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland and Germany to name a few.
Gala Tent’s international expansion is currently on track and we have seen an 80% increase in international trade in the past 12 months. The aim by 2017 is to have a distributor in every European country alongside America and Russia, which are the next markets that Gala Tent will be targeting.
Alongside our operational expansion we will also be adding several new ranges to our extensive product catalogue. We have added a range of new free standing infra-red heaters which are the cutting edge of the heating market. We will also be adding several new furniture and accessory ranges in the coming months which will be exclusive to Gala Tent.
Where do you see Gala Tent in the next 5 years?
In five years’ time, Gala Tent will have been established for 20 years and it seems logical for us to aim to expand further. Our main goal is to set up a fully operational and successful headquarters in America. Expanding into America has been our main goal since we began our international expansion campaign and we’re currently on track to expand into America in 2017-2018.
We are also set to roll out our ground-breaking Secure Order Transfer system which has eliminated Gala Tent’s fraudulent telephone transactions. The system is revolutionary and nothing of its kind currently exists on the market. We developed the system after a spate of fraudulent telephone transactions caused us to lose a considerable amount of money. The system which is designed to be used by SME’s will be available in the next 12 months and will offer unrivalled protection against fraudulent telephone transactions.
Overall, we are hoping to continue being an innovative forerunner in the events industry. We’re really happy with business at the moment and everything is in place for us to continue to grow in the future. In the next five years we expect Gala Tent to be a household name around the world and not just the UK.
H & C News comment
It was really interesting meeting with Jason Mace. Gala Tents clearly have a wealth of experience in the market for party and catering tents and have come a long way since their humble start 20 years ago. Their continued expansion is testimony to the durability of their business and we wish them every success breaking into the American market.
Address: Gala Tent Ltd, Unit 10 Farfield Park, Manvers, Wath-Upon-Dearne, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S63 5DB
Website: www.galatent.co.uk
Phone number: 0800 988 4252
E-mail: info@galatent.co.uk
Facebook: Gala Tent Ltd
Twitter: @Galatent