Business News News
Kingsmead and Georgian join forces Georgian Carpets is to merge with Kingsmead in a bid to boost the sales effectiveness of the businesses and meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive market. The enlarged business will trade under the Kingsmead brand under Martin West who is promoted to MD. The Georgian name is taking a back seat, though the company says it has plans for the branding in the future. There will be a rationalization of carpet ranges across the business over the next year. “This is a positive step to create a business that needs to be a larger player to thrive in a highly competitive market,” Martin West told The Stocklists. “The new company will be bigger than the sum of its two parts.
Martin West will be promoting the bigger Kingsmead business with sharper focus
“The business will benefit from a larger sales force that is more focused on smaller but more concentrated geographical areas and much greater presence though increased point-of-sale,” he said. The two sales forces have been combined to a total of 14 sales representatives and two regional sales managers - Clint Carver and Ian Shopland have been promoted from within the existing teams. The move is effective from August 1.
Carl joins Cormar as Northern head Cormar Carpets has appointed a new regional sales manager for the northern region. Carl Quail joins the Cormar team with an abundance of sales experience including previous employment with Kosset Carpets, Abingdon, Pownall and Ryalux in national accounts, national sales manager and sales director roles. Said Carl: “I’ve been in sales all my life starting out in the FMCG environment and I have learnt some good disciplines and structures early on in my career. These have helped me when developing sales teams and building relationships with people - things that are key in this business.” “Having worked in this industry a long time, I know that Cormar has a great reputation for launching quality ranges with great innovation and of course second to none service levels. I am delighted to be a part of it, as well as having the support of the team behind me.” Outside of work Carl is married to Karen, a nurse at York Hospital, and has five children. He enjoys following most sports and is a keen Arsenal fan. T 01204 881234
www.cormarcarpets.co.uk
Lano confirms Mohawk deal Lano has confirmed that it has signed a distribution agreement for the Western European residential broadloom market with the largest flooring manufacturer in the world, Mohawk International. This agreement will see Lano become the exclusive distributor of Mohawk Europe’s popular residential carpet collections that include the world-famous SmartStrand, SmartStrand Silk and EverStrand styles. “This distribution arrangement is a strategic move that will play on the strengths of both Lano and Mohawk International, and will strengthen Lano Carpets’ position as one of the leading suppliers of domestic textile floorcoverings,” explains Joe Lano, Lano Carpets. “Lano has forged a reputation based on high-quality products and outstanding service, and Mohawk is known for its cutting-edge innovation in fibre development. This collaboration will provide our customers with the convenience of having both Mohawk and Lano qualities available from a single sales source, which will improve service and save valuable time.”
Headlam warns on market contraction Top UK flooring distributor Headlam Group issued a warning at the beginning of July that first half earnings will be approximately 10% lower than last year due a contraction in the market during the period. Following the adverse first quarter performance, Headlam reported some recovery in March and April but a good start to May fell away as the month continued into June. The Group’s July statement confirmed: “As a result, the board now believes it is unlikely that the company will meet market expectations for the financial year as a whole.”
This improved distribution model will cause no changes for Lano customers. Mohawk Europe has been successfully integrated into Lano operations to ensure a seamless and swift transition. T 00800 5266 5266 www.lano.com 44 August 2013
FlooringNews