SPECIALreport
MD Golf export sales go from strength to strength
SGB caught up with Michael Morton from MD to review the recent PGA and JPGA shows as well as continuing export growth from the other side of the world..
In our January issue of SGB we discussed your attendance for the 5th year in a row at the PGA show how did that work out? As always the PGA show lived up to our expectation. It’s a big
investment for our company annually, but we believe it is essential to do this show if you are serious about exporting your brand to foreign markets. The first two days were probably our busiest ever with a steady flow of leading retailers from all over the world stopping by the booth. It was great to see so many of our existing customers but of course the real excitement is the recruitment of new retailers/distributors. It’s always hard to know just how successful the show has been until 6 months aſter
The Japanese trade fair followed soon aſter this show, we understand you were the first ever British company to exhibit there. Was this a positive experience? We have attended the JPGA show as visitors every year since 2003 and
it is finished but certainly the early signs are looking good with a number of key negotiations underway as this article is being written. We have already had a follow up meeting with a retailer in Tokyo that has 112 stores across the country. Probably the most encouraging thing this year was the interest from the USA retailers, this is a market we have always steered clear from but aſter meeting Dick’s, Carls Golfland and a few other key retailers we actually think MD products have a chance there with the demise of a few brands that sold at our price point. For next year a more concerted approach will be made at the US market now that we realise there is some scope there.
it has steadily grown to a big affair and we felt as we now have good distribution in the SE Asia region it was worth being on the floor as an exhibitor. The show is actually attended by more people than the Orlando show but its size is 20 times smaller so it is super busy and crowded. Aston Martin, Japan kindly helped us by providing us with a car on the booth and their people were also there to help out. This obviously created a great interest in our booth and luckily we had a great position beside Ping at the entrance to the show, overall the stand was really busy through the three days of the show. Currently we have a good distributor for MD Golf in Osaka but our plan was to try and find a more suitable partner for Aston Martin in Japan. We have a number of options including the guys we saw in Orlando and are currently in discussions with 4 potential partners, thus fingers crossed we should be able to make an appointment within the next few months. I must also use this feature to thank the British Embassy in Tokyo who are being most helpful in vetting these people and helping us with various other introductions. Overall I would say it was a positive experience but it certainly is a very different world where interpreters are a complete must!
18 SGBGOLF
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