NEWS IBMG celebrates first year in tool hire


IBMG celebrates first year in tool hire with Simon Gibbons, head of tool hire at IBMG


Exclusively 2023 show selling out fast


The UK’s leading housewares, gift and small domestic electricals show, Exclusively returns on 13th and 14th June 2023 at The Business Design Centre, Islington and exhibition space is already 88% sold. Seema Grantham, Show Sales


Director, explained: “With seven months to go to Exclusively, the current sales position just proves that this sector has lost none of its appetite for a physical opportunity to showcase products and network with the industry.”


PEOPLE NEWS BHETA PROMOTES


Exclusively regularly has over 140 companies and three hundred brands participating, representing all the key product categories in the housewares, small electricals, tabletop and gift sectors and many big names have been part of the show for many years. The show targets international buyers, journalists, bloggers, and influencers. “Visitor turnout was fabulous in 2022 so I am sure that is contributing to exhibitor enthusiasm for 2023,” Grantham continued. “We have space remaining in the Gallery and the Launchpad, which is the dedicated area for new, innovative products and suppliers and designed to meet the needs of small businesses and start-ups. That was highly successful this year for for Jomafe, Savernake and TCP who are all moving to the Main Hall in 2023.” More information about Exclusively 2023 can be obtained from Seema Grantham on 07946 078566, or email sg@ bheta.co.uk.


The Independent Builders Merchants Group (IBMG) entered the tool hire market for the first time 12 months ago. One year on, the venture has a number of in-branch tool hire services across the South East providing anything that is required - no matter how large or niche. During 2022 IBMG opened six comprehensive tool and equipment hire operations in strategically located branches of Parker Building Supplies, Chandlers Building Supplies and Fairalls, in Sussex, Surrey and Kent.


Industry stalwart, Simon


Gibbons helped lead IBMG into the sector. Gibbons, who previously managed multiple sites for national hire businesses, said that the opportunity to launch and deliver the new tool hire service for IBMG was an easy sell to him.


As head of tool hire at IBMG, Simon said: “What the last year has shown once again is that exceptional customer service and knowledgeable advisory staff is a winning formula. Our specialist in-branch tool hire teams have literally saved the day for many a building project! “For the first 12months in


the sector, we concentrated


on offering small tools and equipment – the fast-moving items that our customers typically need; while our strong cross-hire partnerships for larger plant and machines have also worked seamlessly.” IBMG’s tool hire is Safehire


accredited – an important standard for HAE members. As part of the Independent Builders Merchant Group (IBMG), Chandlers Building Supplies, Parker Building Supplies and Fairalls have consolidated their position as leading builders merchants in the South East.


MKM building supplies launches CX website, boosting traffic by 16%


MKM, the independent UK building supplies merchant with over 100 branches across the UK, enlisted the expertise of Brave Bison Commerce to overhaul its existing website and bring it into the new digital era, with a focus on improving customer experience. The new site features an intelligent, flexible product search function related to shoppers’ behaviour and hyper- personalisation that remembers users’ preferences. This results in a tailored customer journey with curated product collections and targeted suggestions.


MKM primarily operates within the B2B market but has recently noticed the demand for a B2C experience on B2B platforms, with this in mind and wanting to better serve their trade customers, the company had developed


complex business rules around customer-specific price terms, decentralised management of stock and local delivery zones, all of which needed to be at the core of their commerce architecture when enlisting Brave Bison to tackle their re-platforming to BigCommerce. Essentially, Brave Bison’s task was to make the complicated, simple. The end


goal being to deliver a platform that would deliver sustainable growth.


The new site, although only launched in August 2022, has already driven promising results for the brand, with MKM already reporting an uplift in organic traffic by 16%, 77% boost to time on page and a 26% uplift in online sales year on year.


STEPHEN RICHARDSON TO MARKETING DIRECTOR


BHETA has promoted its former marketing manager, Stephen Richardson to the newly created role of Marketing Director, making him part of the associations’ executive team. Steve has been with BHETA since 2019, following eight years at Travis Perkins plc. 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.


6 DIY WEEK JANUARY 2023


EVERGREEN GARDEN CARE ANNOUNCES CHANGES AT LEADERSHIP LEVEL


Evergreen Garden Care (EGC) has announced changes to its leadership team. After working as a Marketing Director for two years at EGC, Ian Hepburn will be leaving the company, with Rich Fisher succeeding him. Fisher, the previous Category Management & Customer Marketing Controller transitioned to the position of Head of Marketing on Tuesday 3rd January. Fisher joined Evergreen in October 2019, and in the subsequent three years has led successful management responsibilities for shopper marketing, category management and insights.


ALEX ASHMORE APPOINTED AS CEO OF PELSIS GROUP


Pelsis Group has appointed


Alex


Ashmore as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective from 1st February 2023. Ashmore brings a wealth of global


leadership experience with a proven track record in international growth, business transformation, cultural development, and integration. With over 30 years of cross- industry experience in the automotive aftermarket and the broader industrial sector, Ashmore joins Pelsis as it continues to accelerate its development. Previously, Ashmore led the Delphi


Technologies Aftermarket Business Unit, within NYSE listed BorgWarner Inc., driving significant growth and profitability.


KERSTIN KAMASA 1932 – 2023


It is with a great deal of regret, sadness and sympathy we announce the passing of Kerstin Kamasa, an iconic and Inspirational woman who for many years made significant in-roads into the tool and DIY industry with her own brand Kamasa Tools, and helped many entrepreneurs start their own businesses.


Started with her husband Zygi Kamasa in the UK in 1972, bringing the early imported branded Kamasa products to the UK market in its radical green and red packing, adding the bold statement of “tools with a lifetime guarantee” enabled the brand to make rapid progress in to all the major DIY stores and distribution channels.


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