comment comment SIMONMAGHNAGIBusiness DevelopmentManager of Forma House atMitchamin Surrey On The Board What’s’s keeping you busy?


Developing our company website further has been key recently. I have an internal golden rule when we think about change:make it easy for people to do business with you. A huge investment of time and energy has gone into our website, to help retailersmanage and place orders with us online.


What’s’s on your agenda?


To really establish our eco range Zuperzozial as the collection to turn to for biodegradable tabl this


year. Zuperzozial sales are up 1 eware, and to continue our reco


rd growth 76% and


overall company growth is up 50%. Most rewarding aspect of your job?


What’s’s your background?


I studied product design at the University of Northampton and after graduating, took some time out and went travelling. I spent some time in Peru where I worked with a charity to help rebuild an orphanage, and even had a brief stint as a ski instructor! After being away for nearly two years, I came back and joined the family business.


Tell us a bit about Forma House.


The company was originally established 50 years ago bymy dad GuidoMaghnagi who imported a wholemix of items from housewares to trouser presses - it was definitely diverse! Over the past 10 years we have focused the business on building a portfolio of homeware brands fromacross the globe to exclusively distribute here in the UK. Brands include Eva Solo, Sagaform, Zuperzozial, COOKUT,


T, Rose & Tulipani, Root7,


Capventure (umbrella brands: Cabanaz, Puhlmann, The Zoo), Dreamfarm, Born in Sweden, Crushgrind and La Porcellana Bianca.


What’s’s your working day like?


Primarily I’moffice-based and the day starts by checking emails, chatting with the teamand reaching out to our brands across the world: different time zonesmeans call times can vary from8amto 8pm.


Then it's onto the 'to do’ list to generate business and deal with any othermatters that might arise during the working day. I actively encourage a lot of randombrainstorming with the team, where we discuss ideas as they come tomind. The good ones we bank.We are a small, buzzing team, so we have the luxury of doing this.


14 | housewaresl livive.net


Working on a project like our website, and seeing it genuinely help andmake life easier for our customers, is really satisfying. This is a project that I’mextremely proud of, as our website has really led the way in our industry over the last few years in terms of innovating the way things are done.


Most challenging aspect of your job?


As a distributor working in a rapidly changing market, we are being squeezed in all directions right now - fromretailers to our suppliers - and it can be a challenge to juggle the numbers to keep everyone happy.


During your time in the housewares industry,y, which retailers have impressed youmost and why?


I’mimpressed by the resilience ofmany indies who havemanaged to ride the stormof change, battling increasing costs and rent, online challenges and dwindling footfall on the high street. Any bricks-and-mortar retailer who has managed to reinvent themselves impresses me. Not just standing still, butmoving forward with the sea of changes.


What’s’s the biggest challenge and opportunity ng housewares retailers?


Kee faci


ping ranges fresh and different fromonline Eva


What’s’s the biggest change you’ve seen since you joined the housewares industry?


Buyers realising that they need to break away fromthe brand staples they have always relied on to try new things has been amassive shift. The eco revolution has also been huge, and the appreciation and value of stocking better quality products. The 'buy once but well' philosophy is rising.


What one change would you like to see in the housewares industry?


Understanding the value of a product and its worth. There is a cost in developing a quality product - and we need to communicate this more to the consumer.


What advice would you give to someone starting out in the housewares industry? Do your homework and get to know the


industry, brands and the productmix. And don't upset anybody! It's a small industry and it will come back to bite you at some point!


What do you do to relax? I really enjoy touch rugby,


Zuperzozial Hammered Collection • HousewaresLive.net HousewaresLive.net twitter • /H y, but soon attention will


turn to our new puppy that arrives imminently! Her name is Bow and she is a Cavapoo [a cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a miniature Poodle].


twitter.com/Housewaresnewsresnews r.com/Houseware September/October 2019


offerings is both an opportunity and a challenge for bricks-and-mortar stores.


What’s’s the biggest challenge facing housewares suppliers?


The biggest challenge for us is brands or products being copied by the global players of th i d


e n ustry.


What are the biggest opportunities facing housewares suppliers?


Technological advances and being open to innovation have definitely opened up opportunities.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48