South Yorkshire sportswear company expands with Barclays funding

Kitlocker.com Limited, a South Yorkshire sportswear company, has unveiled expansion plans and the relocation of the business with funding from Barclays.

Established in 2005, Kitlocker.com Ltd’s inital aim was to improve service levels in the university sportswear sector.

The idea for the company was originally formed in a bedroom on campus at Sheffield Hallam University with the businessplan forming part of a degree programme.

Since its formation, Kitlocker.com Ltd has gone from strength to strength and their customer base now extends to iconic brands like the Football Association, Oxford University, Cambridge University and Nike.

Mike Kent, managing director, Kitlocker.com Limited said: “We’ve steadily added to our client portfolio, increased turnover and outgrown our original premises. We decided the time was right to invest in a relocation to a more suitable site which will provide additional space and an improved working environment.

“The move to Barclays with the increased facilities has enabled us to purchase machinery, improve the company infrastructure, and deliver on a number of our progressive marketing objectives. We have exciting plans for the future including a number of projects working with Nike UK predominantly in the grassroots football sector.”

Kitlocker.com Ltd employs 25 staff locally and turnover for the next twelve months is expected to exceed £2m.

Chris North, Barclays business manager commented: “Kitlocker is a South Yorkshire success that has harnessed a brilliant business model working with universities and football clubs throughout the UK. It’s great that we’ve been able to help with the funding for their growth strategy and we anticipate rapid growth over the next year as they continue to expand their bespoke e-commerce platforms and complete the new deals they already have in the pipeline.”