Company News

Broseley becomes part of Be Modern family 02/06/09

Customer Briefing

We are delighted to announce that we have today completed a deal which sees us joining the market leading Be Modern group.

For those of you unfamiliar with the company, Be Modern is one of the UK’s largest fireplace manufacturers and offers a wide range of products including fireplace surrounds (mantels, hearths and back panels) as well as the fires themselves, in electric and gas flame effect options. Be Modern has been manufacturing for more than 45 years and sells through a wide range of retailers, including independent fireplace showrooms.  It markets products under the Be Modern brand, as well as the high end Elgin & Hall brand.

Broseley will join the Be Modern Trading Group with immediate effect, in a deal that promises investment in innovative product development for us, and the opportunity for Be Modern to gain an instant, market leading foothold in the stove market, making us – jointly - without question the centre of heating excellence in the UK. 

While there are obvious benefits to the two companies working together and sharing intelligence and support, we will remain separate enterprises, day to day, within our existing locations and with the existing management structures.

Be Modern and Broseley share the same business values, we have exciting times ahead and are looking forward to joining the two companies together.

Questions you may have

• In bringing the companies together, will there be any job losses or redundancies?

• Definitely not.  The two companies will continue to operate as they currently do, from their different sites and with their separate management structures in place. 

• Will your sales force be selling Be Modern products, and vice versa?  Will my contact change?

• No, we will keep our sales forces separate but it makes sense that, where our products do not overlap, and where there is an advantage to customers, we will each make introductions.

• Will your logistics operations be shared?

• No – Be Modern will handle the logistics for fires and Broseley will handle logistics for stoves

• Will this have an impact on your prices and/or product ranges?

• Prices will not be affected at all as the two companies will remain separate.  Product ranges are likely to increase within both companies as we will be able to share product expertise to maximise both brands’ offerings.

• I am interested to know more about Be Modern – where can I go?

• www.bemodern.co.uk

BE MODERN & BROSELEY FIRES JOIN FORCES TO LEAD MARKET

Be Modern, one of the UK’s largest fireplace manufacturers, has acquired Broseley Fires in a seven figure deal. Broseley, based in Shropshire, has an extensive range of stoves, heaters and biomass appliances and officially joined the Be Modern Group from June 2nd 2009. The deal will provide investment for innovative product development for Broseley and will further strengthen Be Modern as the centre of heating excellence in the UK. 

With more than 80 years combined experience operating in the fireplace and heating industry, Be Modern and Broseley sell through a national network of retailers, including independent showrooms. Both Be Modern and Broseley are family run businesses, and despite the recession, the companies are performing well, with a new combined turnover exceeding £30 million.

Richard Appleby, managing director of Be Modern, commented: “Broseley is a very experienced and successful company, which supplies independent fireplace and stove retailers with high quality products. I can confirm that Broseley will continue to fully support its customer base, and that Be Modern will provide the resources to allow future product development particularly in the eco-arena of the heating industry”.

John Reeves, managing director of Broseley Fires said: “I am personally very excited about signing the deal because it means the business can quickly expand via additional investment in innovation and by making the most of new markets Be Modern can offer. It was very important and is a great source of pride for me to note that Broseley Fires will continue to trade under our 37 year old family name and will still run from our Shrewsbury base. 

“Broseley has been a successful, innovative, business as a stand alone.  Now with the investment and knowledge of Be Modern, we will continue to move towards our ambition of being one of Europe’s leading stove brands.”

For more information on Be Modern visit www.bemodern.co.uk .