After a pause for breath over Christmas, January as usual has flown by in a blur while we busied ourselves with major exhibitions in Cologne and Birmingham.
Walk-in wonder Multiplus is star of NEC
These events set the scene for the year ahead – and it gratifying to report that our show at the NEC was without a doubt our best ever. Cologne wasn’t bad for us Brits, either!
Reaction to our new look, much larger stand in Birmingham was very positive, with the VIP area generating the most interest and sales. I don’t think I’ve ever seen our team feeling quite so motivated as they are at the moment!
The exciting new walk-in wardrobe Multiplus was the clear star of the show – so much so that Wiemann’s board, on their visit to Birmingham on the third day of the show, agreed to produce it in a 220cm high version as well as the standard for the German market, 237cm – guaranteeing we have been able to convert interest into hard sales! At the other end of the scale, the entry level Imola in the new champagne and nocce finish was well received, too. It does look very smart and excellent value. Unlike those of many of our competitors, all our ranges come out of the same factory so are subjected to the same quality and standard checks – we’ve noticed it really does make a difference their website.
Now we have a brief pause to consolidate, follow up new enquiries and set up new accounts before the start of the Spring exhibition season. We’ll be at the AIS show in Solihull in April (25-26th); then at Long Point’s Spring Fair (9-11 May) at our showroom in Harrington Mill, Long Eaton; closely followed by the Minerva Spring Exhibition in Telford (17-18 May) – an event we didn’t attend last year but now we’re back!
Despite all this activity, many of you will already now know that I am planning to take a little more of a back seat this year – handing over the lead role of MD of Litmus to my son Simon. I’m absolutely certain the futures of both Wiemann in the UK and Litmus are in safe hands and that Simon will bring a new dimension fit for the future to the business. I’m not disappearing yet but it will be good to take things a little easier and to have a few more holidays! At least that’s the plan!
Also on the personnel front, the January Furniture Show also delivered us a great new agent for Ireland: Darren McKenna. Belfast-based Darren is well known in Ireland, for many years as sales manager for Balmoral Furniture before becoming an independent a couple of years ago. He’s very well connected and was bringing customers onto our stand before we’d even agreed to sign him on as part of the team – welcome Darren!