gtn AUGUST 2018
Advice & information for garden centre professionals
gardentradenews.co.uk
Sales bloom as Vitax grows A series of key investments has led to another year of growth for Vitax as it begins to reap the benefits of its decision to expand its facilities in 2017. Renown throughout the industry for its key brands such as Slug Gone, Q4 and Nippon, Vitax expanded its operations at the turn of the year by extending its production facility in Skelmersdale and warehouse in Coalville. Coupled with the investment in new, cutting-edge machinery and a sizeable increase in the sale of Slug Gone, overall sales at the company have bloomed. “The success of the 2016/17 season highlighted that we were working to full capacity to meet the demands of our customers and a change was needed to meet future growth,” says Carl Welsh, Vitax’s managing director. “The new facilities at both Skelmersdale and Coalville ensured we were well prepared to meet customer pre-season orders. “Reliability is essential with customer
satisfaction key to our success both now and in the future. It is this reliability and ensuring orders have been delivered on time, which has led to an overall increase in sales from last year,” says Carl. However, it is not just the investment in the new facilities that has attributed to a bumper season as Mark Butler, national sales manager at Vitax, explains: “Vitax continually listens to its customers which led to the launch of a range of weatherproof pouches to help garden centres, which ultimately led to the purchase of new machinery. “Sales of the new pouches has been phenomenal. Combine this with the new point of sale material to help garden centres improve sales and it’s easy to see why we are on track to exceed this year’s targets,” says Mark. As the company goes from strength-tostrength, it says a final goodbye to one of the industry’s stalwarts. Colin WetherleyMein, who has been with the company for over 25 years, will eventually be taking a
Glee 2018 – it’s all about the experience Hot on the heels of last year’s success, Vitax will be taking its experiential marketing stand one step further in 2018 as it continues to showcase its award-winning packaging and point of sale material. New product lines will be on show as well as additions to key ranges, but supporting garden centres to help educate gardeners and recommend the right product is at the top of the agenda. “This year we are trying to bring a whole new experience to the Vitax stand by helping visitors visualise how products could look in their centres and how displays can point gardeners in the right direction to choose the right product,” says David Griffiths, Vitax’s marketing manager. Vitax Garden World’s ambassador Andy McIndoe, will also be on hand to talk guests through his latest projects, products and videos, which are all targeted to help gardeners make easy choices and drive them into garden centres. 4To find out more about Vitax, please visit: Hall 8, Stand C30-D31. well-earned retirement at the end of August. “Colin has been instrumental to the success of Vitax and we would like to thank him for all his time, energy and commitment for what has been a truly remarkable career,” added Carl. 4For more information about Vitax’s products, visit: www.gardenworld.co.uk
Packaging scoops top GIMA award Vitax has scooped one of the garden industry’s top marketing awards for its innovative, weather-proof pouch range. Recognised as one of the garden industry’s most prestigious award ceremonies, Vitax took home this year’s GIMA award for ‘Best Consumer Product Packaging’. Vitax launched its latest weather-proof pouches at Glee in 2017 with the judges stating its ‘good clear packaging, which is easy for consumers to understand’ and ‘increased sales’ were two of the key reasons for Vitax’s success. David Griffiths, marketing manager and product packaging designer, says: “Responding quickly to what gardeners want is vital and the pouch range was developed to aid garden centres promote products next to plants and shrubs, especially within their outdoor plant displays. “To win a coveted GIMA award is fantastic and against such great competition.” In addition to taking home a coveted GIMA Award, Vitax was also named as a finalist in the ‘Supplier of the Year’ category, which is a tremendous achievement as Carl Welsh, managing director at Vitax,
Left to right: David Griffiths, marketing manager and packaging designer, Carl Welsh, managing director and Mark Butler, national sales manager. explains: “The ‘Supplier of the Year’ award is particularly sought after and to be named as a finalist recognises the efforts and improvements Vitax has made as a business over the last year.”