Andy Burns joins The Stewart Group as Group Sales and Marketing Director
Stewart Group, the UK manufacturer and supplier of plastic moulded products for the gardening, home, professional catering, technical and packaging sectors, has appointed Andy Burns as Group Sales and Marketing Director.
Burns will have management responsibility for the growth and strategic development of Stewart’s sales and marketing activity across all sales channels.
Burns joins Stewart’s from Whirlpool Corporation, the world’s largest white goods manufacturer, where he held the positions of Head of Marketing and, more recently, Head of Sales for the UK. While at Whirlpool Corporation, Burns oversaw online, retail and trade channels worth a combined £45 million.
Previously, Burns was Marketing Director at Stanley Europe with strategic marketing responsibility for the entire UK product portfolio. This comprised five product categories with a combined turnover of over £100 million. Burns reduced departmental costs by 14% and developed a forecasting model to maximise returns on financial resources. He also project managed, from concept to completion, Stanley Europe’s corporate brand and product showcase including a customer visitor centre. Burns was a key member of the steering committee that relocated Stanley’s UK Headquarters, transferring 120 people without disruption to the business.
Richard Butler, CEO at Stewart Group, said, “We welcome Andy to the company. With his background he can add extensive brand and category management expertise to our commercial team. His motivation and strategic marketing planning skills will also be vital assets to the future of Stewart Group.”
Burns commented, “I look forward to working closely with Nigel Thompson and the members of the sales and marketing team, together our aim will be to quickly build on our past successes and take the business onto the next level. We have an enviable brand position in the channels in which we operate and leveraging this to the benefit of our consumers and customers will be the key to our success.”
Stewart Group offers an extensive portfolio of products, from garden planters and propagators to food containers and specialist storage products. Three specialist divisions also work across the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.
ENDS
Editorial contacts:
Emma De Maio
redheadPR
Tel: 07921 160 134
Email: emma@redheadpr.co.uk
Stewart - backgrounder
Stewart is the UK market leader in the manufacture and supply of technical plastic moulded products for the gardening, home and professional catering sectors. The company offers an extensive portfolio of products ranging from garden planters and propagators, to food containers and specialist storage products. Three specialist divisions also work across the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.
The company employs 70 permanent staff and 30 seasonal workers at a purpose-built 178,000 sq ft facility in Banbury, Oxon, which opened in September 2012. The factory and distribution centre includes state of the art machinery giving Stewart a world class advantage over its UK competitors.
It enjoyed a turnover of £13 million in 2010.
Stewart is headed by CEO Richard Butler who built his career in the technical plastics and rubber sector and has worked for leading manufacturers in the aerospace and automotive sector.
Originally established in 1945 the company was the subject of a BIMBO (buy-in/ management buyout) in June 2011. ECI, the mid-market private equity specialist, invested £12 million in the company in a deal that valued the business at £17 million.
Stewart Garden produces grow your own products, watering, pots, propagators and garden accessories and sundries. These are available in over 1600 outlets across the UK and Eire including major DIY outlets such as Homebase and Wilkinsons and garden centres across the UK such as Dobbies and Klondyke/Strikes, The Garden Centre Group and some 600 plus independent garden centres.
Stewart Garden plays an active role in the gardening and leisure industry through its membership of:
- GIMA – the Garden Industry Manufacturers Association
- Gardenex – the Federation of Garden and Leisure Manufacturers Limited
- HTA – the Horticultural Trades Association
Stewart won the House Beautiful Best Product Garden Category in 2005 and the Klondyke Dry Goods Supplier Award in 2010. The company was a GIMA Awards - POS Finalist in 2009, and Best of British Finalist in 2011. It’s Heat and Grow Thermostatic Propagator was top in the Which? Gardening Best Buy test on windowsill propagators 2011.
Stewart Home provides food storage and homewares products. These comprise of the Refine, Essentials and Seal Fresh food and drink storage collections, offering hygienic storage in a wide range of colours and shapes.
Stewart Catering supplies the Gastronorm and Seal Fresh food storage ranges to the catering industry and specialist cook shops via wholesale and cash and carry outlets.
Other Stewart divisions are:
Stewart Aerospace
Stewart Automotive
Stewart Medical
Each division of Stewart is BS ISO 9001-2000 and TS16949 accredited and operates from the company’s manufacturing, warehousing and distribution centre in Banbury, Oxon.
For more information visit www.stewartlimited.co.uk
For editorial enquiries, pictures, interviews and samples, contact Emma De Maio on 07921 160 134 or email emma@redheadpr.co.uk
