DUNDEE SHOE firm Ward Walkers is anticipating a revenue boost of more than £1 million after agreeing terms for the sale of its footwear lines to the NHS in England and Wales.
A two-year agreement will allow the Riverside Court-based concern to market its products to 645 NHS trusts south of the border and a total workforce of more than 1.4 million people.
Ward Walkers which has retail outlets at the city’s Ninewells Hospital and in the Overgate Centre and does considerable business online estimates the deal will see it supply as many as 100,000 pairs of shoes over the course of the next 24 months.
The move is expected to secure the jobs of the privately-owned firm’s 10 workers and 10 contract staff, and generate 10 new roles over the course of the agreement.
Founding director Roy McLean said the deal was fantastic news for his firm.
“It’s a huge boost for the company and cements our growing reputation as a provider of footwear fit for the demands of the health service,” Mr McLean said.
“The deal also proves that small and medium-sized enterprises can compete for national contracts and will enhance our chances of winning further business, both in the public and private sector.”
As well as acting as a distributor and supplier of branded comfort shoes like Crocs, Ecco and Fitflop, Ward Walkers also designs and imports its own designs from Italy, India and China.
Mr McLean, who started the firm in 2004 after leaving his career in the footwear industry, said he had spent six years trying to secure the agreement and intends to work towards landing a similar deal with the NHS in Scotland.
Ward Walkers was established with the specific aim of supplying comfortable and compliant work shoes to the nursing profession, backed by Mr McLean’s extensive background in shoe design, development and manufacturing.
Many of its ranges are specifically tailored for use in operating theatres and on hospital wards, are enclosed and washable and meet all health and safety requirements.
Mr McLean said he is convinced contract work will be increasingly important to his business and is proud the small firm was able to successfully follow the “very time-consuming” tender process.
“It’s very exciting and it is the right way forward for the business,” Mr McLean said of the agreement.
“The future for us is a combination of retail, online and contract work.
“In today’s market, to simply have one sales channel is very restrictive and just increases the risk.”
He said the move would mean job security for existing staff and the creation of new posts, despite a “very difficult” retail environment.
The company’s efforts will now move towards marketing its wares and securing orders from NHS trusts.
The agreement also contains an optional two-year extension from April 2015.