Page 8 - HW August 2020

hard news
PlaceMakers reshapes both physical and digital assets
AIMING TO BRING the blue sheds closer to being a true 24-7 operation, as signalled over the last year plus, PlaceMakers is currently making some big changes to both its branch network and its presence in the digital domain.
To kick o with, on 1 September, PlaceMakers Cranford St, Hornby, Kaiapoi and Riccarton formally become “PlaceMakers Christchurch”.
Operating as a single unit, PlaceMakers Christchurch is to be led by Hub Manager Grant Close, with Hub Sales Manager Charlie Longley and Hub Ops Manager Malcolm Ross.
e next hub o the ranks will be what’s being called the Northern Hub, which is to be headed up by Silverdale’s John Gair.
is hub brings together the branches in Silverdale, Mangawhai and Whangarei, as well as the soon to be opened Warkworth site.
Like the reformed Christchurch operation, change will mean a single salesforce but, unlike Christchurch, the physical separation involved north of
Milwaukee
launches
MX FUEL
LAST MONTH, MILWAUKEE Tool formally launched its MX FUEL Equipment System.
e impressive cordless system, says the company: “Revolutionises the light equipment market by delivering the performance, run-time, and durability demanded by the trades without the hazards associated with emissions, noise, vibration, and the frustrations of maintenance.”
Like the M12 and M18 systems, MX FUEL features three Milwaukee-exclusive innovations – the POWERSTATE
PlaceMakers’ four Christchurch branches will soon operate as a single unit. In the digital domain, Snappy. co.nz and Shop,placemakers.co.nz will also be replaced by an more uni ed front end.
6 NZHJ | AUGUST 2020
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz
Auckland requires distribution capability at both ends of the hub area.
On top of the rationalisation of its real estate, PlaceMakers’ digital presence is also due for change.
Along these lines, Snappy.co.nz and Shop.placemakers.co.nz will soon both disappear, in favour of a single live e-commerce platform for both DIYers and the trade under the URL
PlaceMakers.co.nz.
e new portal will o er personalised
live reporting and pricing, live stock on hand and customer order tracking.
See our exclusive interview with
Distribution CEO, Bruce McEwen, starting on page 18, for more detail and some of the context around these two initiatives.
www.placemakers.co.nz
brushless motor, REDLINK PLUS intelligence and the MX FUEL REDLITHIUM battery pack.
Complete with live demos, the launch
event attracted a very decent crowd to Milwaukee’s Experience Centre Showroom in Penrose.
www.milwaukeetool.co.nz