Fast-growing Kirkby fulfilment firm welcomes £700k investment

We Are Fulfilment has attracted £700,000 from Forefight to support its expansion plans “to open a second fulfilment centre, improve processes, increase its customer base and create high-quality, sustainable jobs”.

WAF, of Julias Way, Kirkby, connects e-commerce businesses’ sales channels – such as Shopify, Amazon, Ebay and others – with WAF’s warehouse management system, so businesses can receive and ship customer orders.

It was founded in 2022 by business partners Trent Peek and Richard Ardis who spotted an opportunity after failing to find a fulfilment service for their own e-commerce businesses.

Foresight, a regional private equity and infrastructure investment manager, is investing in the company through the Midlands Engine Investment Fund.

In its first year, WAF experienced rapid growth by partnering with more than 60 e-commerce businesses and reached full capacity at its current warehouse facility. The investment will enable WAF to open a second fulfilment centre, improve automation of its systems, optimise supply chain processes across its two fulfilment centres and create high-quality, local jobs.

The company has also made two high-profile appointments thanks to the investment, with supply chain specialist Jamie Clark named chief operations officer and former Ocean Saver managing director Sarah Gilling appointed chief finance officer.

Mr Peek said: “We’ve experienced meteoric growth in the last year. As the e-commerce markets continue to show double-digit growth in the UK, the need for reliable, transparent fulfilment is enormous.

“With this support from Foresight, we’ll strengthen our offering to existing clients and we’re poised to deliver even better customer satisfaction for our growing number of partners.”

Line Gauteplass, Foresight investment manager, said: “We are delighted to support Trent and Richard and the rest of the team at WAF to enable them to achieve their business ambitions.

“The company has demonstrated significant growth, attracted a growing customer base and built an excellent reputation within the fulfilment and e-commerce markets. With our investment and support, WAF is well placed for its next stage of growth, and we look forward to being part of its growth journey.”

Will Morlidge, D2N2 local enterprise partnership chief executive, said: “It is great to see WAF going from strength to strength.”