NEWS Sutton Venture Group acquires Swan Products Ltd S


utton Venture Group (SVG) has become the sole shareholder of Swan Products Ltd, a small domestic appliances and housewares brand with a strong British heritage dating back to the 1920s. Swan will be integrated into SVG’s


trading division RKW, where it will benefit from the group’s centralised services and global infrastructure. Staffordshire based consumer goods giant RKW, established in 1989, employs over 600 staff across its offices in the UK, Hong Kong, India and China and has a group turnover of over £200 million. The company designs, develops and distributes small domestic appliances and housewares for leading brands including Black and Decker, Lavazza, Morphy Richards, Tower, Smeg, Russell Hobbs and Breville. From its 750,000 sq. ft. distribution centre, products are sold to major UK retailers which include Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Argos, B&M, Currys, Very and Amazon. Swan has a strong British Heritage dating back to the 1920s and has always been at the cutting edge of design innovation. The brand invented the first electric kettle in the 1930s and became the UK’s


Number 1 Appliance Brand in 1968. Since then, it has continued its history of further innovations, captivating the hearts of the modern-day consumer with compelling kitchenware collections, iconic cookware and appliances that boast stylish design and offer outstanding performance. SVG chairman, Rob Sutton, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Swan into the RKW family of Great British brands. RKW has been a key partner for Swan and the acquisition fits perfectly with our strategy of building British brands into major Global players


through our international network of supply partners and customers. We have a talented team and an exciting roadmap of innovation and new product developments which will help propel Swan to become a leading brand in the housewares market. I would like to thank Rob Wileman and Paul Simpson for their work developing the Swan brand and wish them all the best for the future.” Swan Products managing director, Rob Wileman, added: “I would


like to thank Rob and Sue Sutton for their help and support in building Swan into a strong, recognised brand and wish them every success in the future.”


Rainy Day Trust partners with the Mental Health Foundation


T


he Rainy Day Trust has joined forces with


the Mental Health Foundation to produce a guide aimed at helping recognise and support mental health issues in the workplace. Called ‘How to support Mental Health at Work’ the 44-page guide, which the Rainy Day Trust is making available to industry businesses free-of-charge, outlines how to recognise mental


health issues in the workplace, whether you or colleagues, and shows ways of building a strategy towards good mental health. The introduction highlights just what an impact poor mental health and wellbeing can have on business. “The value added to the


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economy by people who are at work and have or have had mental health problems is as high as £225 billion per year, which represents 12.1% of the UK’s total GDP,” it says. “It’s vital that we protect that value by addressing mental health at work for those with existing issues, for those at risk, and for the workforce as a whole. A toxic work environment can be corrosive to our mental health. We believe in workplaces where everyone can thrive. We also believe in the role of employers, employees and businesses in creating thriving communities. Good mental health at work and good management go hand in hand and there is strong evidence that workplaces with high levels of mental wellbeing are more productive. Addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by as much as 12%.” Bryan Clover, CEO at the Rainy Day Trust, said: “It isn’t always


obvious and there is still very much a stigma attached to it, where people don’t want to discuss it. This guide gives good practical advice and information on how to bring it into the open and build a strategy of support for those staff who need it. Everyone will benefit, not only in terms of their mental health and happiness but also as a business from a financial point of view as highlighted above. It really is a win win!”


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