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Butterfly Elite is to stop supplying products from its UK warehouse, concentrating instead on direct container business.
Butterfly Elite is to stop supplying products from its UK warehouse, concentrating instead on direct container business.
National sales & marketing manager Mike Schnuppe told housewareslive.net: “Butterfly Elite have a very close working relationship with a couple of partner factories in India, and in terms of negotiations there and making things feasible they came to an agreement that the ex-UK warehouse side of the business was not viable in the long run.
“In general things have changed in the market. Demand is down and the cost price of stainless steel is up, and in terms of dealing with the factory there was a demand for higher production runs.”
He went on: “It’s not a withdrawal from the market, it’s a restructure. If customers want to deal with us on a different basis the door’s still open.” The expanded product range can be viewed on the website, butterflyelite.net.
The changes mean an uncertain future for the company’s 10 employees. “Some of the support element for the UK market is under review,” Schnuppe said, “and there may be some redundancies. There are a number of positions that are up for discussion.”
Butterfly Elite – 60% of whose business is now export – recently moved premises to 23/23A Hawthorn Road Industrial Estate, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN23 6QA. Tel, 01323 437490.
