trade comment
‘Every year it gets better and better’ The Sirius Buying Group celebrated its annual tradeshow and awards dinner with camaraderie and charity
R
etailers and manufacturers gathered at the Marriot Forest of Arden on September 20 and
21 for the Sirius Buying Group AGM, tradeshow and awards dinner. The annual tradeshow gave the opportunity
for members and suppliers to discuss the effect of the buying group’s kitchen specialist offshoot, launched in February of this year, as well as trading conditions in recent months and plans for the future. The evening’s awards event provided an
opportunity for the group to demonstrate its charitable nature once again, with a silent auction and a live auction together raising £10,000 for a local charity, Help Harry, Help Others. Titles were awarded to the best performing
retailers and suppliers this year. Hoover Candy took home the title of
Manufacturer of the Year, and field sales director Sharon Hamer commented: “Yet another fantastic trade show – every year it gets better and better. “The tremendous support from the Sirius members is returned in kind. And to top it all, receiving this award means so much to us all.” DAD earned the award for Distributor of
the Year. DAD sales director Lee Gillman said: “Supporting the independent is our business and receiving this award from the Sirius Buying Group is a wonderful recognition for the DAD team.” The title of SDA Supplier of the Year went to
Smeg, who took home the Supplier of the Year title in 2015. Smeg sales director Paul Barker commented: “Since our launch of SDA we have had tremendous support from the Sirius members and business has grown accordingly. We feel so proud and honoured to receive this accolade from Sirius.” Smeg UK managing director Mike Giddings
added: “As a longstanding supporter and loyal supplier to the Sirius Group we are delighted to receive this award and constantly look to build our relationship year on year. “We are extremely proud of our innovative
new SDA range and are extremely pleased to see this new channel turn into such a strong commercial success.” An important part of the retailer manufacturer relationship is found in the company rep, and the award for Company Representative of the Year went to Glen Dimplex Home Appliances’ Liam Barker for his work this year. There were also awards for Sirius’ own retailers, with the title of Retailer of the Year
(turnover over £1m) going to Basil Knipe Electrics of Ballymoney in Northern Ireland. Hornsey Appliances in London took the title
for Retailer of the Year (under £1m). Last, but not least, the award for Lifetime
Achievement & Contribution to the Electrical Retail Industry went to the Sirius Buying Group’s own events organiser Stuart Hopwood. He said: “This is such a surprise, and I am truly humbled. Thank you all so much.”
October 2016
www.innovativeelectricalretailing.co.uk | 21
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