By Patrick Avenell
SYDNEY, NSW: Hagemeyer Brands Australia (HBA) has sold the Smeg brand back to Smeg S.p.A Italy. This news comes just weeks after Hagemeyer revealed it was separating the Smeg and Omega businesses, incorporating the latter into its Major Electrical Appliances (MEA) portfolio.
This news was communicated to Hagemeyer customers earlier this week by CEO Mark Bilton. With this sale, the Omega kitchen and cooking appliance business will now become the singular premium brand in the Hagemeyer stable. Omega previously competed for this top billing with Smeg. Hagemeyer also distributes the De Dietrich and Blanco brands.
“The Omega brand has had considerable success in the past few years, and separating these brands allows HBA to continue to invest in growing our long term brand partners, whilst affording Smeg the opportunity to become a stand alone business unit which will be owned and operated by SMEG S.p.A.,” wrote Bilton in a statement.
Since becoming the CEO of Hagemeyer just over one year ago, Bilton has introduced a range of changes to the business, each designed to improve the company’s efficiencies and longterm profitability. As part of these changes, Bilton promoted Gavan McKenna to general manager of the MEA business, the new home of the Omega brand.
“Over the next three months the sales and marketing of the Omega brand will transition into the MEA division and report overall into Gavan Mckenna, GM. This reflects an internal change to support our long term strategy, and should not have any impact on our customers or the way we service…our clients,” continued the statement.
Last month, after 21 years in the Smeg business, Andrew Cronin resigned from his general manager position.