DIYWEEK.net

Garden products manufacturer is to close its Worcester office as EP Barrus takes over as exclusive UK distributor for the brand.
Following Wolf-Garten's acquisition by US firm MTD in February this year, EP Barrus Ltd has been appointed as exclusive UK distributor of Wolf-Garten products.

The move has resulted in the closure of Wolf-Garten's Worcester-based UK office, with two members of staff being made redundant.

The remaining employees, including marketing manager Karina Wysom, logistics manager Steve Malsom and nine sales reps will move with the company. Wolf-Garten managing director Paul Jupp will also join Barrus but under the new title of sales manager.

Garden machinery importer EP Barrus is confident that its Bicester warehouses can improve distribution service levels and is expecting its first order of Wolf products to be delivered into its warehouse in early September to help meet pre-season orders.

Ms Wysom said of the move: "We are very excited about the new set-up as we anticipate that the support offered by MTD and EP Barrus will facilitate a much more efficient operation, therefore allowing us to develop the business with our loyal customers."

She added: "We will have so much more control over our products rather than relying on products to be sent from Germany directly to our garden centres."

Wolf-Garten's manufacturing operation in Germany will continue under the ownership of MTD and Ms Wysom stressed that the red and yellow brand will remain unchanged, as will Wolf's ten year guarantee on all products and spare parts.

Wolf announced insolvency after experiencing severe cash flow problems in January and was saved by Ohio-based MTD in February when it signed a pre-contract to acquire almost the entire Wolf-Garten organisation. It will officially take over the company in early September.

MTD Products AG chairman Peter Janssen stated that further plans are being made for the 2010 season.