Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Paton Calvert, one of the oldest and most recognised bakeware brands in the housewares industry, has new owners.
The company, which has been serving the market for over a century, has been bought by Merico, a contract packing business of which Paton Calvert had been a customer for almost a year.
New managing director Paul Lawson told HousewaresLive.net that the former owner, a South African trust, felt that the bakeware specialist no longer fitted into its portfolio. Merico became interested because, he said: “The synergy was there and we thought we could move Paton Calvert along quite quickly.”
The company says it will be concentrating now on delivering a better market response and improved product development.
“Paton Calvert is known within the industry as a bakeware supplier to the trade,” said Lawson, “and we want to focus our business more on the ranges and put more emphasis on promoting the Paton Calvert brand.”
Paton Calvert relocated from Southampton some months back, and now the warehousing, offices and showrooms are located together in Burton on Trent. Merico says this will make for a better coordinated and more efficient operation.
A new board of directors has now been appointed at Paton Calvert, which the company says brings together many years of manufacturing, sales, marketing and supply chain experience.
Working alongside Paul Lawson is chairman Jeff Salt, who are also co-owners of Merico. Rose Davies is the new financial director and Gary Wells the new commercial director.
Meanwhile, former sales & marketing director Andrew Brooks has left the company, as has previous financial director David Bishop.
“David wanted to pursue his career back in Southampton and always planned to leave the business when it relocated,” said Lawson.
Gary Wells plans to visit all key clients over the next few weeks.
