An innovative Newcastle-under-Lyme-based firm, that is thriving on the continent by creating cat protection products tailored to pet-owning trends across Europe, has been shortlisted for a top export award.
ProtectaPet’s new patented product, the “no drill” cat balcony enclosure, is set to become a best-seller as urban apartment living in Europe has created a market to prevent cats from suffering high rise syndrome – which refers to them sustaining injuries by falling from a higher floor in a building.
Pursuing a sustainable growth curve, the business which creates state-of-the-art cat fencing products has set up a fulfilment operation in Rotterdam to service expanding trade in France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.
In the last financial year exports grew by 46 per cent in turnover, with sales of £148,076.
A direct-to-consumer French store launched in 2022 took €26,144 in the out-of-season winter period, January to March 2023, a 357 per cent increase on the same period in the launch year.
In June Fenceweb, Holland’s largest e-commerce fencing retailer, launched the ProtectaPet range in their online shop.
The B2C model is about to roll out to markets in Holland and Germany, with new Dutch and German ProtectaPet e-commerce stores scheduled to launch in Autumn 2023.
Now ProtectaPet, who are the first to market a laser-cut steel cat fence bracket with fine polypropylene mesh, have been shortlisted for the Department for Business and Trade Exporter of the Year Award at the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards.
The company – which has seven patents to their name – will present to the judges in September, with the awards night at Grosvenor House, London on 14 November.
Co-founder and Communications Director Eve Davies is an Export Champion for the Department of International Trade.
ProtectaPet have previously won the King’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category.
