Coastal Group is celebrating 20 successful years of manufacturing and supplying door and window hardware throughout the UK and beyond.
Company founder Anthony Jenner marks the milestone and looks back at how it all started.
“I left school with no qualifications, starting my working life as a carpenter and joiner,” explains Anthony. “I used to jump on the tube every day to the Ritz and Carnarvon Hotels in London, doing joinery and general maintenance. I loved the work and soon trained in plumbing and heating engineering which meant I could offer a more comprehensive service.”
The early days
Anthony then moved into sales, working with Pret A Manger to develop their packaging before selling laundry products to high end retailers such as Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason and John Lewis. Other roles included manufacturing, fitting out offices and project management before moving to Cornwall around the turn of the millennium.
“These varied experiences and different job roles developed my understanding of what business is about,” explained Anthony. “As I neared 40 I wanted to start my own business that could provide for my family’s future and be an asset to the local community.”
Coastal Group was born on the shores of Cornwall in 2003, selling a small range of door handles. Coastal has since grown to employ over 50 members of staff, manufacturing and supplying joiners, door and window manufacturers, specifiers and end users with high quality hardware that lasts.
The whole family helped out in the early days to get the business premises ship shape.
Looking ahead
“All four of my sons have come on board and are working hard to grow the business further,” Anthony continued. “I’m proud to hand the company over to them. I remain by their side and keep in close contact with the business but am confident that they have it in control, with help from a great team.”
Coastal Group now provides a full service to the trade, supplying a wide range of high quality door and window furniture, locks, hinges and more.
The company has been through a lot since its inception, with recessions, global conflict, supply chain issues and changes in technology. “One of the biggest challenges has been getting good staff who want to come on the journey with you but I feel we have the best and most dedicated team who are key to our continued success.”
Coastal Group is particularly proud of the technical support and specialist advice offered to the trade. “We’re lucky to employ people who have worked as joiners, some of whom are former customers of Coastal,” explained Anthony. “That’s one of our key strengths that our current customers really appreciate. Being able to speak their language and truly understand their challenges is essential.” Coastal Group continues to support the industry by creating how-to guides and videos to answer the most frequently asked questions and challenges.
Anthony’s oldest son, Loren Jenner, now manages operations at the business, supported by his three brothers and a growing team. “I’m proud to have the opportunity to carry on what Dad started,” said Managing Director Loren Jenner. “We’re lucky to have amazing staff who are passionate about what we do who help move us forward every day.” As part of the 20-year anniversary, Coastal Group hosted a celebration team day at the iconic Eden Project in Cornwall.
“The event was a chance to thank staff for their hard work, share our vision for the future and celebrate individual and company achievements,” continued Loren. Guest speaker Sir Tim Smit closed the event with an inspiring talk about building something great.
Coastal Group is already embarking on the next stage of its journey, with new products, services and training in the pipeline. “We’d like to thank all our customers and suppliers who have supported us on this journey so far,” concluded Loren. “We look forward to sharing the next twenty years and beyond.”
To find out more about Coastal Group or to discuss your hardware needs, email sales@coastal-group.com or call
