Peter plays a blinder!

Photo: DARREN ROBINSON

CLEAN sweep for Peter Lawton.

Sound start for sonic cleaning business

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FOUR years after starting a new life in the self-employed sector, Peter Lawton is looking at establishing a larger business base and taking on staff.

“That is the next logical step,” said Mr Lawton (46), from Chadderton, who set up Sonic Kleen in 2005.

At the time he was the works engineer at Slumberland’s manufacturing site at Salmon Fields, Royton, but he could, as he described it. “see the writing on the wall” and decided to get out.

He and his wife Michelle invested £12,000 in an ultra-sonic machine which cleans Venetian, vertical and roller blinds.

Mr Lawton immediately set about securing clients, initially through local advertising to attract domestic and residential customers, and through cold calling to gain a foothold in the commercial sector.

Sonic Kleen had its first big break when a chance call to the Greater Manchester Fire Service resulted in a contract to service blinds at the brigade’s 44 sites.

“They have become our biggest clients,” said Mr Lawton, adding that he has also found work in the local government and education sectors, although the current economic climate is not helping.

“Public bodies are looking at all sorts of costs to seek savings and maintenance and cleaning of blinds has been hit,” he said.

Undeterred, Mr Lawton has continued to find new business, with turnover rising towards £50,000 — 75 per cent generated from the commercial sector.

The small unit in Chadderton where Sonic Kleen is established can be restrictive which is why the next step is to move into larger premises and employ cleaning staff.

He said: “I need to spend more time on sales and generating leads, but the business has so many peaks and troughs at the moment, due to a number of factors associated with the economy, that taking the next step is proving a challenge.”

Cleaning blinds has led to the company expanding its services to include maintenance, repair and sales in a rapidly expanding catchment area that extends to North Yorkshire, Liverpool and Preston.

In addition to the blinds service, Sonic Kleen has a specialist machine for cleaning golf clubs which, in the early days of the business, helped boost turnover but now goes out on request only, mainly at charity days with part of the proceeds supporting that day’s good cause.