From Spennymoor To The Shard: County Durham Founder Celebrates 10 Years Of Eight-Figure Sauna Business

From Spennymoor To The Shard: County Durham Founder Celebrates 10 Years Of Eight-Figure Sauna Business

A North East entrepreneur who started out designing saunas alone is celebrating 10 years in business this month, after building his company into an eight-figure national brand.

Jake Newport founded  Finnmark Sauna in 2016 with a clear ambition: to raise the standard of sauna design in the UK. What began as a one-man operation has grown into a specialist business employing 50  staff and delivering projects across the country.

Today, from its base in Spennymoor in County Durham, Finnmark has installed thousands of saunas nationwide and is recognised as one of the UK’s leading names in the sauna and wellness sector.

A Frustration That Sparked a Business Idea

The company was born from Newport’s own experience of the UK market.

“Ten years ago, I was walking into saunas that technically worked, but they didn’t feel right,” he says. “They were often treated as an add-on rather than something to be designed properly. I knew there was room to do better.”

“For me, sauna has always been about the full experience. The atmosphere, the quality of heat and how you feel afterwards. I wanted to bring a more authentic Nordic standard to the UK.”

In the early days, Newport was handling every aspect of the business himself.

“I was advising customers, refining designs, sourcing materials and solving problems daily,” he explains. “A big part of that period was education. Many people wanted a sauna but didn’t understand how much ventilation, layout and heat flow affect the experience.”

Those early years laid the foundation for a steadily growing business built on technical credibility and word-of-mouth.

From One-Man Operation to Eight-Figure Turnover

A decade on, Finnmark has grown into an eight-figure turnover company, working across residential homes, luxury hospitality settings and commercial wellness environments.

The business now employs 50 people and supports projects ranging from bespoke sauna installations to the supply of specialist sauna timber and equipment.

“What I’m most proud of is the consistency of the growth,” says Newport. “We’ve grown carefully, with every installation representing trust. People are choosing us to deliver something important to them, whether that’s in their home or within a major commercial space.”

Designing the UK’s Largest, Tallest and First Floating Sauna

From its County Durham headquarters, Finnmark has delivered some of the most ambitious sauna projects in the UK.

These include designing the UK’s largest sauna at ARC Canary Wharf, the tallest sauna installation at the Shangri-La The Shard, and the UK’s first floating sauna at WYLD Sauna.

“It’s been rewarding to see how seriously sauna is now being taken,” Newport says. “When we started, it felt niche. Now it’s firmly part of the wider wellbeing conversation.”

While the company has also worked with high-profile private clients, many collaborations remain confidential.

Riding A 1,200% Industry Boom

Finnmark’s anniversary comes at a time of rapid growth in the UK sauna sector.

According to the  British Sauna Society’s sauna map, the number of public saunas in the UK has increased from just 45 in 2023 to more than 600 today, a rise of over 1,200% in three years.

There’s been a broader shift in how people think about health,” Newport explains. “Recovery, stress management and long-term wellbeing are taken much more seriously now. Sauna fits naturally into that.”

As more homeowners invest in their properties and hospitality venues prioritise guest wellbeing, demand for high-quality sauna installations continues to grow.

Staying Rooted in County Durham 

Despite working on projects across London and other major cities, Newport says the company remains firmly rooted in Spennymoor.

“Being based in County Durham has always been important to us,” he says. “We’ve built the business here, grown the team here, and we’re proud of that.”

The company is now preparing for its next phase of growth, including launching a new modular sauna concept designed to make high-quality saunas more accessible, as well as exploring international expansion opportunities.

“Our goal over the next ten years is to grow in a way that stays true to what got us here,” Newport says. “We’ve built something strong from Spennymoor. Now it’s about taking that foundation even further.”

After a decade in business, Finnmark’s journey from a one-man start-up to an eight-figure employer highlights both entrepreneurial persistence and the rising strength of the North East’s business community.