NEWS New home and bright future for Apta
With a 35-year heritage, Apta has long been integral to the garden retail sector. In recent months, the pot and planter brand has undergone its most significant change yet. However, the transition has been so smooth that only some may have noticed the change. In late 2023, Apta relocated to a new home at the AMES Companies headquarters in Pollington, East Yorkshire. This move, part of AMES’ ongoing investment programme, which saw more than £3million invested in the business last year alone, was undertaken to offer improved efficiencies for AMES Companies customers, whilst also future-proofing Apta. The relocation, which took place over several months and after significant consultation, has seen Apta set up home within a
PEOPLE NEWS
Spring & Autumn Fair reveals new Advisory Board
Spring & Autumn Fair, the UK’s largest and most inspirational retail trade shows for home, gift and fashion, has announced the creation of a new Advisory Board designed to drive the continuous enhancement of the two shows and ensure that UK retail has a thriving marketplace in which to do business. The board, chaired by Stephen Spencer, Ambience Director at Stephen Spencer + Associates, comprises 15 of the industry’s leading figureheads including John Halliday from British Independent Retailers Association, Sarah Ward of the Giftware Association, Karen Wilson from the Greetings Card Association, Ben Massey from theNational Association of Jewellers, exhibitors including Stephen Illingworth from Widdop & Co, Nick Ronald from Casa Verde, Aylish Ellwood from Enesco, Tim Hollisfrom Talking Tables, Jason Bensohn from One Dot World, as well retailers Kay Hutcheson of Coopers of Stortford, Samantha Gibbs from Nest, and Maggie Thornton fromAlligator Pear, who all provide valuable industry insight and advice assisting in the on-going development and growth of Spring & Autumn Fair. Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director at Spring & Autumn Fair said: “The new Advisory Board is a very exciting development in the shows’ history. Spring Fair has brought the retail industry together for over 70 years and Autumn Fair for over 30 years they have become the nucleus of the industry and enabled so much great business to be done.” With its future-proofing remit, the board is committed to guiding Spring & Autumn Fair to achieve a host of outcomes including proactively identifying trends and opportunities within the retail industry, identifying key visitor groups, expanding the regions they come from, and optimising visitor and exhibitor experiences. The Board will meet regularly to provide honest and constructive participation.
Graphisoft appoints Daniel Csillag as new CEO
Graphisoft, the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software solutions developer for architecture and multidisciplinary design, has announced that Huw Roberts, who has led the company since 2019, is leaving by mutual agreement. Daniel Csillag has been appointed CEO of Graphisoft with immediate effect.
“With his industry expertise and many years of experience, Huw has played a key role in the success of Graphisoft in recent years,” said César Flores Rodríguez, Chief Division Officer, Planning & Design and Digital Twin, at Nemetschek Group. “We thank Huw for his contribution and commitment to the Nemetschek Group and wish him all the best for the future.”
Daniel Csillag was part of the Nemetschek Group from 2017 to 2022 as CEO of Nevaris and General Manager of Bluebeam (DACH region). During this time, he was also responsible for acquiring 123erfasst, the mobile cloud solution for data collection on construction sites. For the past two years, he was Chief Revenue Officer at Thinkproject, a construction and asset management software provider. “I’m excited to join Graphisoft and a team that has already provided such a great foundation to build upon,” said Daniel Csillag, CEO of Graphisoft. “I look forward to strengthening our innovative portfolio and delivering value to our customers around the globe.”
Gardena announces Huw Richards as Brand Ambassador for 2024
Gardena has announced the continuation of its work with YouTube sensation, author, and Grow your Own expert Huw Richards. The leading watering and hand tools brand will be working in close collaboration with Huw on a range of marketing activities across 2024. Returning for his third year as ambassador for the
brand, Huw will work with Gardena across both brand channels and his own social media platforms, sharing his invaluable gardening expertise, as well as supporting on new product launches and events. As a leading supplier of high-quality gardening tools and irrigation systems, Gardena’s work with Huw will aim to highlight the importance of gardens as a space to grow, become close to nature, and also place of recreation and enjoyment. As well as this, Huw’s passion for regenerative food will see him giving insights into organic food growth. Sarah Bentham, UK Marketing Manager at Gardena said: “Our partnership with Huw has gone from strength to strength over the past three years, and the collaboration has become a very important part of our strategy.”
6 DIY WEEK MARCH 2024
As we approach the spring season, British Garden Centres has announced its renewed commitment to providing customers with quality and value through an extensive range of locally grown plants, cultivated right here in the UK. British Garden Centres is dedicated to growing plants locally to ensure quality, sustainability and support for local communities. Its team of passionate horticulturalists has taken every step to cultivate the best available stock for our customers. Its three nurseries, namely
Fretherne Nursery, Woodthorpe, and Temple Nursery, are run by a team of experts who are dedicated to bringing the highest quality plants to our customers. By choosing British- grown plants, you are not only supporting local growers but also bolstering the horticulture industry in the UK. The nurseries cultivate a wide variety of seasonal plants that are bursting with colour and ready to add instant impact to any outdoor space.
It saw eight million plants sold in 2023, with 600,000 of those being houseplants, which clearly shows that the plant parent trend is here to stay.
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new state-of-the-art 27,000sq ft warehouse facility that forms part of the 50-acre Pollington site. The new facility offers 67% more indoor and outdoor stock holding than the previous location, giving Apta plenty of room to grow, whilst the new capacity for 10,000 pallets in the first year represents an uplift of over 47%. Of course, an increased stock footprint means nothing without the proper behind-the- scenes support, which is why Apta will also benefit from AMES’ unfaltering logistics programme, which includes linked sales
solutions, multiple pallet deal configurations and five-day SLAs, even during peak season. Paul North, AMES Companies Managing Director, said: “The relocation of Apta from Ashford, Kent to Pollington, Yorkshire marks a pivotal moment for the future of Apta. The long-established brand, one that is at the very heart of the pot and planter category, is now supported by an infrastructure that allows for long-term sustainable growth. Moreover, the move means that Apta customers will benefit from access to more stock during this season and in time will be able order and receive combined deliveries of Pots and Landscaping products. This move is all about making life easier for our customers moving forward.”
Home Hardware trade show raises £500 for charities
A very successful draw held at Home Hardware Southwest’s Spring Trade Show on Tuesday 5 March at Westpoint Area, Exeter raised £500 to be split between The Rainy Day Trust and Cancer Research UK. This includes a £100 cash prize generously donated by Jonty Mayo of Musgraves Home Hardware in Windermere. Home Hardware Southwest would like to thank all members, suppliers and staff who generously contributed towards these important charities. Vivid Squid won Best Display Stand at the show. The supplier won a cash prize of £100, a certificate and a glass trophy. Marshall Brushes & Rollers Ltd received the runners up prize of £50.
There were 110 exhibitor stands at the Show and the award was judged by an independent panel and presented by David Adams Chairman of Home Hardware. David Adams said “We are delighted to welcome Vivid Squid to our Trade Show for the first time. For first time suppliers they’ve worked incredibly hard on the presentation of their stand, it’s very eye-catching and products are very well displayed”.
British Garden Centres’ commitment to homegrown plants
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