PRESS RELEASE

18th June 2010

Collaboration the way forward for wholesale industry, says SWA president

COLLABORATION and better communication between wholesalers and suppliers is the way forward for the Scottish wholesale industry – that was one of the key messages from Iain Hill, president of the Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA), at the trade association’s annual conference at Crieff Hydro this month (18th-20th June).

Themed ‘Onwards & Upwards’, the conference highlighted the differences in the market north of the Border and explored ways in which suppliers can capitalise on these differences by seeking out opportunities for growth and working with wholesalers in a more innovative way for mutual benefit.

Providing more business development managers (BDMs) would be a good step in the right direction, suggested Hill. “One of the simplest ways for wholesalers and suppliers to achieve the goal of collaboration is to make sure that the communication links between wholesale depot and supplier head office are right,” he said. “A good, experienced local BDM who has the ability to make decisions can be all that’s needed in some cases.

“Some suppliers have clearly made a strategic decision to cut back on rep coverage but it may be worth having another look at this. Deploying more BDMs would be bucking a trend but, on the other hand, it might just give you pleasantly surprising results.”

Hill also pointed to product differentiation as another area where collaboration between wholesaler and supplier could pay dividends. He said: “Ask any wholesaler and they will tell you it makes much more sense and is ultimately more effective for decisions about pack sizes, price points and shared margins to be made jointly between wholesalers and suppliers – we need to see more of this.

“If suppliers don’t differentiate, particularly in the case of seasonal products, then it can mean it is no longer viable for wholesalers to stock these products – they end up delisting them and the supplier loses distribution. That’s a ‘lose-lose’ situation for both. But it wouldn’t take much to change things into a ‘win-win’ situation – just a little foresight and some imaginative collaboration.”

High-profile speakers at the conference were Bill Laird, managing director of The Today’s Group; Philip Jenkins, managing director of Sugro; Simon Hannah, director of JW Filshill; and Michelle Mone OBE, founder and co-owner of lingerie company, MJM International.

The impressive line-up also included: Paul Hagon, managing director (sales) at Palmer & Harvey; Graeme Clark, managing director of Scot Serve; David Livingstone, general manager of Batleys Glasgow; Tony Boyle, sales director of JB Foods; and Mohammad Sarwar, former MP for Central Glasgow.

Suppliers addressing the conference included:

• John Heynen, sales director of Molson Coors
• Gharry Eccles, managing director of Müller Foods
• Stephen Glancey, chief operating officer of C&C Group
• Paul Graham, sales director of United Biscuits
• Ken Allan, commercial director of Diageo Africa
• Ian Deste, vice-president (sales) at Coca-Cola Enterprises
• Dave Pogson, sales director of Cadbury
• Chris McLaughlin, head of speciality accounts at Kellogg’s

Iain Hill, who is managing director of Iain Hill Ltd in Ayrshire, hosted two business sessions touching on the achievements of the Association over the last 12 months as well as looking ahead to the challenges facing members and the wider wholesale industry over the coming year.

For further information, contact Karen Peattie on 0141 773 1801/07947 075 937

www.scottishwholesale.co.uk.