As the halfway point of 2024 rolls around, the AMES Companies team is taking a moment to reflect. 2024 has seen all corners of the business undergo changes, with an evolution taking place that will offer multiple benefits for both retailers and consumers alike. AMES Companies Commercial Director, Nick Jones, shares more about the journey that has shaped the first half of 2024 and how the future roadmap is looking even more enticing.

Empowering Kelkay

As one of the most recognisable brands under the banner of AMES Companies, Kelkay has the eyes of the industry upon it and was an important part of the puzzle for 2024. From meticulous revaluation of manufacturing protocols and strategic logistics partnerships to a comprehensive re-examination of sourcing narratives, every facet of Kelkay has undergone rigorous scrutiny to not only meet but surpass marketplace expectations. As it stands, we have far exceeded the targets we set ourselves, achieving an impressive 97% product availability, firmly secured for the remainder of the season. Furthermore, our commitment to expedited service is underscored by our attainment of 99% on-time delivery within a mere five-day window—a testament to our dedication to facilitating seamless top-up orders, particularly as the peak season unfolds.  

With such significant improvements in place, Kelkay’s position as the leading supplier of paving and decorative aggregates into the garden retail sector has certainly been reaffirmed.

Building ourselves a new home for a brighter future

The AMES Companies inherited its headquarters in Pollington during its formation here in the UK, and right away we saw the potential. During the last 12 months we have been making our redevelopment plans come to life thanks to the unwavering support and investment from our parent company, Griffon, and an incredible onsite team.

Recent months have witnessed a metamorphosis of the Pollington site. With new warehousing facilities, consolidation of emerging brand portfolios under a unified site, and the appointment of a dedicated Operations Director to spearhead expansion initiatives, new life has been breathed into our headquarters, and provided us with an exciting roadmap for further expansion.   On the horizon is the realisation of much of our hard work, which will see our dry storage spaces increase fivefold to 20,000 pallet spaces – a number that truly illustrates our intentions for growth.

A team to be proud of

The senior leadership team at the AMES Companies is one of our greatest assets. The appointment of David Wright to the role of Operations Director, alongside John Thompson as Finance Director has engendered a team that is now strategically aligned and working together to propel AMES towards a future defined by clarity and purpose.

This vision and the team’s dedication to making it happen is also filtering down into the wider AMES family. From our warehousing teams to our product experts and channels leads, we’ve been creating an environment where all our staff have ownership over the development of the company, and see their contributions recognised and rewarded accordingly. Exemplifying this ethos are the recent appointments of Patrick Thick as Sales Director of the Garden Centre channel and Dan Charles as Head of Merchandising, whose unwavering dedication and alignment with the AMES ethos are instrumental in nurturing enduring customer relationships.

A leading tool proposition

Launched at Glee 2023 following a two-year period of extensive research and development, AMES Tools was a real turning point for our business. Opening up new opportunities in a competitor space is not always the easiest thing to achieve, especially in year one, but AMES Tools has proven time and time again that the marketplace needed something new. In the time it has been available we have far exceeded our sales targets and the range can now be found in hundreds of retailers across the country. We’re consistently hearing from customers how AMES Tools has reenergised sales of garden tools and cultivated a new sense of confidence within this highly saturated product category.

For us, AMES Tools has been the starting point of an exciting new product development journey that will see the AMES Companies create some long-term goals to fill gaps, improve product quality and hierarchy and ensure that retailers and consumer alike will always have the right products to make their home outdoors. The first step on this continued journey will be available for all to see at Glee 2024 where we are poised to release hundreds of highly considered new products.

A new chapter for Apta

It isn’t just new brands that get the AMES treatment, as evidenced by the introduction of Apta Lightweight. A completely new departure for the brand, Apta Lightweight has breathed new life into this highly regarded heritage brand, whilst sparking important conversations amongst material usage and consumers engagement. The resounding success of Apta Lightweight in its inaugural season portends a promising future, with prominent retailers such as Blue Diamond embracing its offerings.  Elsewhere, restocking orders already well underway and a dedicated merchandising team on the road to support retailers, together helping the future of Apta Lightweight play a significant role in the development of the AMES Companies.

A vision for the future

As we reflect on six months of resounding success, complacency finds no place within the corridors of AMES Companies. Critical business development plans are incoming for the remainder of 2024, changes that will make our intentions clear whilst providing our customers with notably improved access to our entire product portfolio and customer support tools. On top of this we remain committed to all of our brands, which include Kelkay, Apta, La Hacienda, Easy Fountain as well as AMES Tools and Woodshaw. We’ll continue to assess ranges, growth feasibility and our merchandising solutions to ensure that they continue to perform in a busy and ever developing retail environment.

We have clear action points and a robust plan for the future, and we’d like to offer our gratitude to all our customers for their ongoing support and feedback as they join us on this journey.