Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2018 (Issue 106)

8 giftfocus MY GIFTS TRADE TAKES ON ECP My Gifts Trade, owned by Music Exchange (Manchester) Ltd, is delighted to announce the completion of the acquisition of ECP Design. Founded in 1966, family-owned business Music Exchange (Manchester) Ltd. is the leading distributor in the UK for sheet music and musical gifts. My Gifts Trade has developed an extensive range of home and giftware with designers including Sara Miller London, Hinchcliffe and Barber, Oscar Francis and The Woodland Trust. This year the company is very proud to be launching new designer ranges from I like Birds and artist Meg Hawkins. My Gifts Trade will continue the legacy and ethos of ECP Design whilst together will be introducing new products and designs for each season, working with existing designers as well as recruiting fresh new talent. ECP Design started in 1977 as English Country Pottery in an 18 th Century Cotswold barn, a family run business which today license products from innovative designers and brands such as Brixton Pottery and Caroline Zoob as well as developing ranges for National Trust and Fortnum & Mason amongst others. John Collett, Director of ECP said, “We’re delighted that such a gifted team as My Gifts Trade have taken on ECP Design and we hope our customers like the new products we have developed together for 2018. We think the two companies have a lot in common and similar values and we hope customers will continue to support both brands”. industry news THE SALE OF WB THE CREATIVE JEWELLERY GROUP TO THE HEIMERLE + MEULE GROUP Patrick and Vivian Fuller co-owners of WB The Creative Jewellery Group have announced that, after 70 years in family ownership, the business has been sold to the Heimerle + Meule Group, the precious metals division of L. Possehl & Co. mbH. The Possehl Group comprises of more than 160 companies, operating in more than 30 countries and is organised across nine separate divisions. The Heimerle + Meule Group, of which Cookson Precious Metals Ltd is also a member, heads up the precious metal division. Possehl’s business management approach is centered on supporting their various entities, enabling them to be run as independently as possible, and maintaining an entrepreneurial culture within each business. The sale includes all three businesses in WB The Creative Jewellery Group – the precious jewellery brand Domino, the casting, 3D printing and bespoke manufacturing company Weston Beamor and silver and fashion jewellery brand Gecko. Under the deal, all 180 current members of staff will retain their jobs and the businesses will continue to be run independently by the existing management team under the leadership of managing director Andrew Morton. Whilst Vivian Fuller will take full retirement, Patrick Fuller will, for the foreseeable future, hold an ambassadorial role within the business. Speaking about the sale, Patrick Fuller said, “Vivian and I have enjoyed building WB The Creative Jewellery Group over the past 40 years to become a major supplier within the jewellery industry but it’s now time for us to retire and hand over the further development of the business to the very capable team who are already in place. We believe that whilst the business will be independently run, operating within the same Group as Cookson Precious Metals Ltd and Possehl’s other precious metal companies will bring real advantages in the future.” TILNAR ART THE NEW HOME OF AZETI INTERIORS Tilnar Art, the Fair Trade supplier, is delighted to be the new home for Azeti Interiors. Azeti’s signature range is a collection of recycled food safe aluminium bowls, platters and dishes that come in various colours, designs and sizes. They are Fair Trade and hand-made by Indian artisans working in cooperatives. The products are cast, then rough polished and enamelled before being beautifully finished with a smooth polish. Every one of these items is individually made to the very highest quality with a hand finished colour enamel inside. Each product also comes in a superb presentation box making a perfect gift. Tom Hawes, Director of Tilnar Art says, “We’re all really excited here at Tilnar Art for 2018. Adding the Azeti range to our collections is a natural progression for us as all of our products are Fair Trade and handmade. We’ve also been able to lower the price points for the Azeti range making them a really attractive addition to any retailers’ stock. “We are particularly delighted with the range of Pattern aluminium bowls as this collection is now exclusive to Tilnar Art. Another outstanding feature is that this product could be turned into bespoke own brand products with images of your choice. This we feel is a really great selling point for many retailers for whom own branding is key.” Please visit tilnarart.co.uk to view all the ranges and products. Or contact Tom or Nicky on +44 (0)1277 362 815 or email the team sales@tilnarart.co.uk