News
Published on 1 - December - 2006
New distributors as ABUS holds prices
ABUS has appointed HOPPE and Toolbank as its new distributors following the decision of Carl Kammerling International (CKI) to drop the brand.Managing director of ABUS, Nick Vanderhoest, said: "Our 50-year partnership with CKI was a major contribution to ABUS attaining brand-leading status in the UK hardware market.
"However, in recent years it became clear that ABUS' ambition for wider distribution of our security range at market competitive prices was at odds with CKI strategy.
"CKI creating a competitor, which was not of ABUS' making, was clearly a problem. The solution is the total commitment to ABUS from both HOPPE and Toolbank."
Both companies will be pleased to take up all ABUS enquiries.'
As reported in last week's DIY Week, CKI has dropped ABUS and is now concentrating on the Kasp brand of security products.
In addition to its two new partners, Mr Vanderhoest confirmed ABUS was resisting the temptation to increase its prices despite a six-fold hike in copper and zinc prices over the last 12 months.
He said: "The increase in raw material prices has already been reflected in recent 30% price rises from at least two competitors, but we will be holding our rrps until April 2007."
However, Mr Vanderhoest warned that the increase was likely to be in 'double figures'.
