BLANCO Germany will establish a new Australian subsidiary, which will see direct distribution of its sinks and taps.
BLANCO currently forms part of the Shriro appliance division with distribution in Australia and New Zealand to be transferred to BLANCO Australia, effective 1 May 2022.
The new subsidiary will be led by Gerard Gill (pictured) as general manager who brings extensive market and category experience, having been with Shriro for 12 years. Prior to his time with Shriro, Gill was national sales manager for Franke and sales manager for Sampford IXL.
In a statement shared with Appliance Retailer, Shriro said the company will support BLANCO fold their Australia and New Zealand operations into the direct subsidiary.
“The transition is expected to have little impact on existing retailers who will receive the same quality of service up to and including the handover date. Both parties remain committed to cooperating to ensure seamless business continuity for their retailer partners.”
Shriro CEO, Tim Hargreaves thanked BLANCO for their cooperation in building the business together and wished them continued success. “Our attention remains firmly on future growth opportunities as we continue to reshape our portfolio of brands to maximise return on capital employed.”
BLANCO managing director for Asia Pacific, Hans Nasemann thanked Shriro for the partnership which has seen the business grow in Australia and New Zealand. “We have been encouraged by the commitment they have shown throughout and especially in reaching this agreement to ensure business continuity for our retail partners.”
BLANCO has had a presence in Australia for over 20 years and is one of the lead markets in the Asia Pacific region.