DECEMBER News brief...
CROWN HITS 100 PER CENT RECYCLING
TARGET Leading décor supplier Crown Paints has successfully hit its target to recycle 100 per cent of its waste. The company spent three years improving its recycling rate across its UK manufacturing and decorating centres, and is now proud to announce that it recycles all of the waste from these sites.
JOHN WOODS NURSERIES SHOWCASES TALENT AT IDEAL
HOME SHOW John Woods Nurseries is to showcase some of the UK’s best young horticultural talent at the 104th Ideal Home Show, by becoming part of the ‘Ideal Young Gardeners of the Year 2012’ competition. The nursery will supply plants to students from six UK colleges which they will use to create inspirational and sustainable show gardens which will be exhibited at the show from March 16 – April 1.
PROFITS DOWN AT
TOPPS TILES Topps Tiles has announced a drop in pre- tax profits of 36 per cent for year to October 1, 2011. Revenue fell from £182.4m to £175.5m and pre-tax profit slumped from £12.4m to £7.9m as the tile retailer struggles to pull in spend-wary consumers. The fall as continued into the business’ new financial year, with revenues declining a further 6.9 per cent in the seven weeks from October 1.
The return of MFI The retailer returns to the home furnishings
market with a new online offer With so many names in British retail having fallen by the wayside over the last four years, a number of which have been in the out- of-town retail park arena, it’s always interesting to see the renewed efforts of those that return.
done exactly that and this time has swapped the retail park bricks and mortar format for an online offer. The company
M
FI, which ceased trading in 2008 after a financial struggle, has
describes its new venture as providing consumers with “high quality luxurious and affordable home furnishings, excluding kitchens, with a first class customer service.” The brand was bought in
2010 by Walker Capital and in the two years since a specialist management team has been developing a new strategy for the business’s relaunch. Extensive market research has been undertaken to ensure that the return is meeting the needs discovered by the team. A spokesperson from the company
commented: “The online launch has been designed following market research which suggested that customers are happy to purchase home furnishings online as long as the products are of high quality, are affordable and the customer service is first class.” This customer service offer
includes allowing customers to select a preferred delivery date and track the order at each stage. The team behind the new operation includes members of the senior team from the brand under its previous ownership
Movers and shakers
Wickes has appointed Simon King, the former Asda chief operating officer, as its managing director. King will replace Jeremy Bird who has been promoted to divisional
chairman for the consumer division of parent company Travis Perkins, a new role at the company. Prior to King’s role at Asda he was CEO of supermarket group Panda Retail, based in Saudi Arabia, and CEO of Turkey’s Tesco Kipa. David Gwyther, the director
general of the Horticultural Trades Association has retired following 16 years in the role. He is to take on some
advisory non-executive roles. Carol Paris, HTA president commented: “David has made a huge contribution to the horticultural industry in the 16 years that he has been at the helm of the association and it has flourished under his leadership. David's guidance has seen the HTA develop a wide range of services and benefits for the members, including increasing gift voucher sales, improving
4 | Garden & Hardware News |
DIYRetailer.co.uk
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