Textron’s new branches in Redditch, Worcestershire, Selby in North Yorkshire and Mansfield in Nottinghamshire are making rapid progress with the Redditch premises scheduled to open before the end of August.
Staffing is virtually complete. Textron report an overwhelming response to press advertisements from applicants with experience of the turf and sweeper industries in general and their products in particular.
“We have reacted extremely quickly and efficiently to the termination of the dealership agreements with Breakwell’s and Henton & Chattell,” said Glynn Patrick sales director at Textron. “We nominated Alan Prickett, former senior regional sales manager to head up the branch structure. He has already appointed a number of quality people and found premises which suit our needs.
“We have taken a 3-month lease of Henton’s former premises in Leeds to provide an immediate presence in this area and have leased a modern industrial unit of 8,500 sq ft at Selby that will be the permanent hub for our Yorkshire operation. We already have a service team operational in this region.
“We have sourced a building at Redditch which totals over 14,000 square feet and will be operational before the end of August. One of the new team, Peter Cooper, Breakwell’s former sales manager, will head up the sales team that will market our turf and industrial sweeper products. He will be supported by two area sales managers responsible for Hereford & Worcester, Warwickshire and the West Midlands. A fully equipped workshop will accommodate a workshop manager, two technicians, two field technicians and a fully resourced parts department. Most of these people are already on board.
We have been pleasantly surprised by the high number of quality people who have applied for a wide range of jobs. Most of them have experience of the either the turf or industrial sweeper industry and many are already familiar with our products. All customers have been notified of the changes that are taking place and at SALTEX they will have the opportunity to visit our stand and talk to members of staff for a further update.”
“This latest move represents a major investment for Textron Golf, Turf & Specialty Products”, says managing director Harold Pinto, “and demonstrates our commitment to our turf and industrial sweeper customers in Warwickshire, the West Midlands, Hereford & Worcester, Leicester, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire. All of the new facilities will offer a complete sales, service and parts operation for their respective territories.”