The UK’s largest privately owned and operated timber merchant group – Howarth Timber and Building Supplies is reaping the benefits of a regional kitchen, bedroom and bathroom retail support package from leading furniture manufacturers Symphony.
Symphony partnered with Howarth Timber to trial its new retailer service, called New Perspectives in 2011, which offered the successful merchant group a range of attractive options to boost the fortunes of its Howarth at Home collection of furniture for the living space.
The British manufacturer’s Milano kitchen and Embrace bedroom brands were selected to take centre-stage in stunning showroom sets across nine Howarth locations in York, Wakefield, Mansfield, Derby, Leeds, Malton, Accrington, Darwen and Blackburn.
Symphony worked with the merchant’s management, marketing, purchasing and branch teams to devise a re-launch plan for the Howarth at Home brand which featured expert, long-term guidance and practical assistance.
Symphony delivered a distinctive furniture collection for Howarth, enabling them to cater for the varied interior design needs of their customers - whether that be professional tradesmen, property developers, self-builders or committed DIY enthusiasts.
Howarth’s kitchen range, for example, has been refreshed to satisfy every home décor trend, from modern living and minimalist chiq, to curved and concave cabinets or handleless designs for uninterrupted lines - glamour, gloss, classic shaker-style or traditional in-frame all feature, giving the merchant the opportunity to find a tailored solution every time.
The Howarth at Home collection also includes all those important extras, such as lighting, Kesseböhmer storage solutions, worktops, waste disposal options and drawer accessories, allowing Howarth to offer the right solution to every customer requirement.
Simon Collyns, marketing director at Symphony, commented: “The Howarth name is synonymous with trading expertise and we feel our retail support package has given them the range, expertise, service and knowledge which their customers have come to rely upon.
“We worked in partnership to make sure that every detail was covered, giving Howarth’s branch network the support it required. We arranged staff training at a local level and at the purpose-built, marketing suite at our Barnsley HQ. Symphony provided further support with a series of inspirational promotions and added value options to help Howarth maintain its competitive edge.”
Neale Brewster, marketing and product development manager at Howarth Timber Group commented: “With 170 years of trade experience, it’s important that a manufacturer is able to match our reputation. We believe that Symphony’s quality standards meet the highest specifications, and since partnering with them we’ve had a phenomenal number of sales and as a result we are looking to expand the product range across three other branches.
“The support we’ve received from the sales team has been exceptional – nothing is too much trouble and we couldn’t ask for a better supplier.”
