Retail interior and display specialist Ripple has transformed Elliotts Builders Merchants Ringwood branch in Hampshire, creating a new interior format and design and improving operational efficiency, customer experience and sales.

Greater Manchester-based Ripple operates across the UK and was chosen by Elliotts to create a more engaging, efficient and productive trade environment. Following an extensive design and consultation process, Ripple manufactured the equipment at its own factory.

Founded in Southampton in 1842, making it one of the UK’s oldest family-owned businesses, Elliotts is an independent supplier of building products to the trade and public. The company’s estate includes 13 branches across Hampshire and several kitchen, bedroom and bathroom showrooms called Elliotts Living Spaces. 

The new interior was tailored to the client’s brand and proposition calling on Ripple’s extensive experience of format design and merchandising principles. The project has improved customer experience through defined sightlines, clearer customer navigation, effective product display, better communication and enhanced merchandising. 

The merchandising and display equipment was designed and manufactured specifically for Elliotts by Ripple and includes multi-purpose over-pallet merchandising, promotional displays, door displays, counter impulse stands and a variety of brick, flooring and tile displays to accommodate a spectrum of product categories.

Speaking about the Elliotts Ringwood branch design, Ripple account director Scott Harrop, said: “It’s been a pleasure working with and building a relationship with Elliotts. Every merchant is unique so it is always an exciting journey to create a new environment.

“Ripple’s project team carried out site visits to the Ringwood branch to develop a full understanding of Elliotts business, their existing display principals and layouts, branding, customer experience, product ranges and operations. Feedback from the store team was invaluable and understanding of their requirements is important before starting the process of designing their future environment.

“Following the research phase, our team produced draft floorplans with proposed styling, and format and merchandising concepts. Once approved by the client, Ripple’s designers produced 3D rendered visuals of the equipment before developing technical specifications for each bespoke element, in preparation for the manufacturing stage.

“In the past year Ripple has invested over £200,000 in new, advanced manufacturing machinery for both our joinery and engineering departments.  Our dual proposition includes a full creative and technical design expertise, which seamlessly links to our extensive manufacturing and finishing facilities, all of which is under one roof at our HQ in Oldham. Our production capability includes joinery and cabinet making, engineering and metal fabrication, wet spray-paint and powder coating which make us a true one-stop shop.”

Building and decorator merchants, architectural showrooms and associated products and brands represent important sectors of work for Ripple (which is part of Ripple Group). Projects in these sectors include Arbor Forest, Marshalls, Dulux Decorator Centres, B&Q, Topps Tiles, JB Kind, Cheshire Mouldings, Carlisle Brass, Energizer, Norman Piette (Guernsey) and architectural tile specialist Parkside.