BHETA UPDATE FEATURE BHETA Update BHETA has promoted key members of the trade association.


Richard Walker R


ichard Walker, a non-executive member of the BHETA Board, and longstanding member of the BHETA Housewares Committee, has been promoted to the role of managing director at Eddingtons. Walker will take on responsibility for the day-to-day running of the


Eddingtons business with all key functions reporting to him. Roger Murphy, the current managing director, will become executive chairman, taking on a strategic role focused on the future growth and development of the company. Richard Walker said: “I am delighted to move forward with this new


role and looking forward to implementing our joint business plan. A key element required to deliver is that we formalise our senior management team structure (SMT). We are blessed to have many people in our company with years of knowledge and experience and the plan for the SMT both collectively and individually will be for them to take on additional responsibilities in their areas of expertise which will allow me to focus on managing the overall business and delivering our strategic growth plans. I look forward to continuing my support of the BHETA board and continuing with my BHETA Committee activities.” Roger Murphy added: “Richard and I have worked extremely well


together for the last 10 years and we will both stay very close to the detail in all areas of our business. However, we both understand that the time is absolutely right for a clear division of responsibilities and a recognition that we must evolve the organisation in order to meet the needs of current and future customers.”


B


Stephen Richardson A


Combat the Crisis


Arun Bhatoye, head of marketing at Hisense UK, highlights the support businesses can provide consumers amidst the challenging cost-of-living crisis.


Richardson has been with BHETA since 2019, in his new role he will continue to support the Exclusively Show, the UK’s premier housewares and gift exhibition, which is owned by BHETA as well as assisting sector managers in member engagement and recruitment and spearheading new initiatives to add value for BHETA members. Chief operating officer for BHETA, Will Jones, said: “Since the 2020


lockdown, BHETA’s role in supporting members has necessitated a change in focus and promoting Steve onto the executive team will help the association continue its drive to provide market data, retail engagement, educational webinars, and essential lobbying on key issues. “The promotion is also well deserved. BHETA has made significant


progress during the last three years and Steve’s contribution, together with the rest of the team, puts it in a strong position to move forward and consider future industry opportunities.” Executive Chairman, Andrew Weiss, added: “I am very pleased to be welcoming Steve to the executive team. His insight into digital marketing and experience in sustainability issues gained with his previous employer, Travis Perkins, will help us to shape new initiatives for our members. We have a very strong team within the association and as BHETA continues to develop its longer-term plans, I am very confident that we have the right talent to deliver continued value for the membership.”


Consumers are looking for energy-efficient, cost-efficient products, and it is the responsibility of the business to make their customers aware of which products fit these criteria. Arun Bhatoye, head of marketing at Hisense UK, says “Here at Hisense, we have always championed manufacturing products that are affordable yet high- quality, and this is more important than ever as we head towards the winter months amidst a national cost-of-living crisis. Right now, it is our number one priority to help the nation to understand how to best use their appliances to continue with their necessary household chores and reduce their bills as much as possible.” Founded over 50 years ago, Hisense is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of televisions and home appliances. Hisense has a core range of televisions and cooling appliances alongside a portfolio of cooking and laundry products featuring hobs, hoods, ovens, dishwashers and washing machines. Educating the consumer Bhatoye says “As energy bills soar to an all-time high, monitoring our gas and electricity usage has never been more important, and so consumers are looking for alternative solutions to cut down on their energy usage – and in turn, their energy bills. This doesn’t mean that consumers aren’t buying, but the path to purchase is much more considered. Customers


6 | January/February 2023 6 | January/February 2023


HETA has promoted its former marketing manager, Stephen Richardson to the newly created role of marketing director, making him part of the associations’ executive team.


s the cost-of-living crisis continues to pinch consumer incomes, businesses are having to adapt to a shift in buying habits.


look to invest in appliances that achieve the best results whilst using the least amount of energy, to help with cutting down bills. During the cost-of-living crisis, retailers and suppliers should be looking at ways in which they can help educate and inform their customers on the best appliances for their individual needs, and support them as much as possible to find the most cost-effective solution. Here at Hisense, energy efficiency has played a large role in product development as we look to new launches in future years. “It’s likely that any appliance which doesn’t need to be switched on for a long amount of time during usage, for example a microwave or toaster is the most efficient small appliance, as it only uses energy whilst it is switched on. It’s also very much dependent on usage – every household is different and has different needs. For example, single-person households may have a large capacity oven and batch cook to make the most of their oven being turned on, whilst larger families might opt for a larger capacity washing machine to bundle loads together. Generally speaking, tumble dryers tend to be the most expensive appliance to run, so switching up this part of your laundry routine to drying your clothes on a traditional clothes horse or drying rack is an easy way to help cut down your energy bills. Of course, defining what the most expensive appliance to run will ultimately come down to usage habits. If you have a larger household, it’s likely to be more cost-effective to invest in a larger capacity washing machine, so that you can fit more clothes in one load,


housewareslive.net housewareslive.net


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