A supplier of mats and flooring has credited record annual sales of more than £2m to its investment in AI.
First Mats’ revenues in the year to 31st October 2024 increased by nearly 40%, from £1.6m to £2.2m.
The firm pumped £100,000 into AI technology in its latest financial year – and managing director Paul Russell said this proved a key factor in helping to drive revenues as the company grew market share and developed new sales channels.
“We’ve incorporated AI across the business and it’s been greatly satisfying to see this investment bearing fruit,” said Russell, who founded the Birmingham-based company in 2016.
“We operate in a traditional industry, but as a disruptor we are using hi-tech solutions to drive growth and this has really taken off in the past 12 months. We are committed to building further on these achievements this year and beyond.”
First Mats supplies a range of items, including entrance and logo mats, anti-fatigue, anti-spill and anti-static mats, leisure mats for pools, gyms, changing rooms and wet rooms, amongst others.
High-profile clients include the Aston Martin, Mercedes-AMG Petronas and McLaren Racing F1 teams, Mitie, the National Trust, Bentley Motors and retailers such as Sainsbury’s, KFC, Domino’s Pizzas and Boots Opticians.
The business has gained more than 2,000 new customer accounts and is focused on providing excellent customer service backed up by AI technology.
It is aiming to treble in size within three years.
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