Corporate Vision August 2017

40 CORPORATE VISION / August 2017 , iBreathe is a leading UK-basedmanufacturer of electronic cigarettes (eCigarettes) and refill liquids (eLiquids). The firmwas honoured to win the UK’s Leading E-Cigarette Brand – 2017 accolade, as part of the 2017 Corporate Excellence Awards. To celebrate, we interviewed the firm’s Director &MD, Bilal Rahmanwho provides a flavour of their highly sought-after products. The Story of a Family Business iBreathe is a leading UK-based manufacturer of electronic cigarettes (eCigarettes) and refill liquids (eLiquids). They were one of the first companies in the UK to provide this innovative and highly sought-after product to the public. The firm’s Director & MD, Bilal Rahman provides some background to their work and explains the tremendous success they are enjoying today, as the interview kicks off. “The business is family-owned and was launched by my brother, back in 2009. He sold a small selection of eLiquids to local retailers and the brand quickly gained in popularity. Before we knew it, a few hundred units turned to thousands of units. Today, iBreathe remains a wholly-owned family business, has over 50 employees, along with manufacturing facilities in the USA and China. In addition, Europe’s largest wholesale vaping hub opened in Manchester, back in 2016. “We’ve experienced year-on-year growth and are currently looking at expanding our business further, by setting up a manufacturing facility here in the UK. iBreathe products can be found in convenience stores, service stations and local retail stores throughout the UK, currently standing at 4000 and growing continuously. Customers can also purchase iBreathe products directly from us, at iBreathe. co.uk . Buying directly from us has advantages - such as gaining loyalty reward points, special offers and free delivery on all orders - with no minimum spend.” At present, iBreathe offers a range of eCigarette devices from a simple and easy-to-use starter kit, to a well-rounded premium kit and advanced kits, designed for those who want lots of vapour. They also sell the separate components to these devices, should they need replacing, Bilal tells us. “Alongside the hardware, we offer one of the largest selection of eLiquids in the UK. We currently have two ranges of eLiquids - a high PG range designed for use with starter eCigarettes and a high VG range - designed for use with the advanced kit. These two ranges alone comprise of over 88 flavours and they are available in various nicotine strengths, including zero nicotine. We’re also working on two new and exciting ranges to add to our line-up, which will bring the total number of flavours to over 200. All our devices come with a 30 days’ functional warranty. Should customers experience problems with their eCigarette device, we’ll either repair it or replace it for a new one, free of charge.” Bilal is keen to tell us how it feels to win the UK’s Leading E-Cigarette Brand – 2017 accolade, as part of the 2017 Corporate Excellence Awards. “This is a great achievement for iBreathe and its employees, a testament to their commitment and dedication over the years in ensuring that the brand is one that customers both love and trust. It’s a very proud moment for myself and the iBreathe Team. It proves to us, that with hard work and determination, we can achieve the goals set when the firm was launched in 2009. What’s more, this award will motivate us to push the boundaries of excellence even further. “This award also means continuing to do what we’ve been doing, since iBreathe was first launched. It tells us that customers aren’t willing to purchase the cheapest products on the market and put their health at risk. We will continue to invest in testing and R&D, ensuring that our products meet the highest standards of quality in terms of both safety and consistency. We will continue to run our business on the simple principle, of never taking any shortcuts. “2016 had been a very difficult year for the industry, as all eCigarette suppliers implemented changes in their products to comply with the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). Ensuring compliance meant 1708CV16 businesses took a financial hit and consequently, indeed many have raised their prices as their overheads increased, or worse, have gone into liquidation. “The entire iBreathe team worked tirelessly for months, to ensure that the business was ready for May 2017, the date on which the new laws came into effect. Our customers, particularly the passionate vapers, were aware of the shake-up in the industry and had raised their concerns. Would their favourite flavours remain available to purchase? Will 10ml be less cost-effective than the larger 30ml? We ensured that these questions and many others were communicated both clearly and concisely.” When undertaking a new project, Bilal walks us through the steps iBreathe takes to ensure that clients receives the best possible outcome. He also reveals the firm’s overall mission and how this is achieved. “Through brainstorming in focus groups and seminars, we’ll identify a gap in the marketplace. This could be to launch a new eCigarette device with new features as requested by our customers, or simply a brand new eLiquid flavour. “When an idea for a product is conceptualised, our engineers produce samples, after which