Exertis is moving into electrical product distribution. The category will sit within Exertis’ Consumer Business Unit and will be headed up by Harriet Croft (pictured) who has joined from Argos.
“We have an enviable reputation in retail distribution built on our ability to deal with both large volumes from established brands and successfully bringing emerging brands to market, using our comprehensive range of retail services. Whilst core electrical is an established market, there are numerous opportunities within this sector with a huge range of products that span both existing and new product areas,” said Liam La Cumbre, Exertis consumer commercial director. “Our research and analysis of the market demonstrates that vendors and our retail customers would welcome the efficiencies, expertise and additional reach that we can provide in the distribution of these products.”
The core electricals market is worth in excess of £21bn annually (Retail Economics) and Exertis will initially focus on the Small Domestic Appliance (SDA) and Electronic Personal Care (EPC) categories. New vendors and products will be announced in due course with the intention of building a high-quality portfolio. Feedback from retailers has been very encouraging, highlighting the diverse nature of this market and welcoming the efficiency, scale and services which Exertis can provide.
Croft will be responsible for implementing the core electricals strategy, working with the existing retail sales and commercial teams in Harlow. She has spent 10 years at Argos in various buying capacities, most recently as manager for their SDA division. “I am delighted to be joining Exertis and leading the team in what is an exciting market opportunity. Exertis is a company that has impressed me greatly with their desire to expand their product portfolio into new and complementary areas of their business. Vendors in this market will benefit from their retail distribution expertise and their relationships with key etailers and retailers. Likewise, retailers and etailers will benefit from a more efficient supply chain and the opportunity to offer a broader product portfolio to their customers, taking advantage of Exertis highly dependable drop-ship services,” said Croft.
