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An interview with Ebac’s managing director Pamela Petty

Ebac are sponsors of Genesis and the If We Can You Can Challenge, because founder John Elliott knows what it’s like to have an idea, work very hard and turn it into a successful business. He had an opportunity to make a small batch of building driers, that he couldn’t quite afford to make, but determination, hard work and a little bit of luck paid off, when he got another order and then another order.

In the early seventies when he received his first order for 16 dehumidifiers Mr Elliott ordered enough parts for 52. Fortunately, the client bought 82 to dry out his buildings that winter, justifying Mr Elliott’s decision to go out on his own as a manufacturer. The company hit the £1million turnover milestone in the 1980s and twenty years on has now diversified into washing machines. There is a very good reason for this – and what EBAC thinks is a great market opportunity!

Did you know that every domestic washing machine in the UK is currently imported? – that’s two million new washing machines per year arriving at our docks. 2016 will see Ebac produce the 1st UK washing machine in over 10 years along with all of its components.

‘Washology’ is their brand and philosophy and they have concentrated on the user interface to help save time and money by designing a machine that gives control back to the user. Prior to launch they are testing sample parts and design with the hope to have it on the production line and selling by spring 2016. Currently in discussions with a major retailer with an on and off line presence EBAC will concentrate on selling the machines – a concept new to the company. Along with the new line they will also be continuing with Dehumidifiers, water coolers, chest freezers and optimising the production line for the best results. A very busy two years lie ahead consolidating the market for their existing products whilst venturing in an entirely new direction with ‘Washology.’

With innovation and customer-service at the heart of everything they do Pamela Petty, managing director of EBAC, has interesting ideas on what starting and building a business really means and the critical difference between an entrepreneur and an enterpriser.

According to Pamela, scalability is one of the most important things a start-up must consider: “company founders [like those entering IWCYC] must ask themselves these questions; is this a business that will keep just me in a comfortable lifestyle or is it an enterprise that could employ 100 people? If it is an enterprise, am I the right person to grow the business or do I need to bring a business partner that can? If you want to get rich quick and sell an idea, you are not normally the type to be able to plan for the business in 3 years’ time,” she says

Another point that Pamela focused on was ‘Shy Bairns Get Nowt.’ She went on to explain: “Start-ups find it difficult to ask for the cash once a price has been agreed, getting someone to agree the price of a product or service should be the difficult bit! It’s cash that always kills a business, not the lack of ideas! Be brave. Set you price and then make sure you get paid for your product.”

Pamela also shared her thoughts on the pressure to have a completely new idea – it’s not always necessary, the product may already exist so it’s about innovating and designing in difference to improve it. “For us, we know that the washing machine was not our idea, we just love making things and we think we can do it better!”

Pamela’s final advice would be to look at yourself and remember “Size, scalability and confidence are the 3 things a start-up business must have. Are you the entrepreneur, the visionary and leader or are you an enterpriser, the money maker and planner?” If you keep asking yourself these questions you won’t go far wrong.

May I wish all the entrants to IWCYC the very best of luck and the hope that I’ll be buying their product or service in another three years..

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Charlotte Windebank .