One year on from its acquisition, UK air conditioning distributor AMP is said to have “more than doubled” sales of Panasonic products in the UK.
Speaking on the first anniversary of its purchase by Panasonic, AMP director Polly McConachie said: “Our success has been driven by our team’s strong customer relationships, and this, combined with the quality of products and Panasonic’s high-profile collaborations with technical providers, has delivered record sales.”
Panasonic has declined to reveal its UK turnover, either before or after the AMP acquisition, but the new sales claim, if confirmed, would represent a remarkable achievement for both companies.
Makoto Takahashi, CEO of Panasonic Appliances Air Conditioning Europe, described the last 12-month’s results as “very positive”. He said the aim of the purchase of AMP was to provide “outstanding value-added support” to customers and to continue “the successful growth” of its air conditioning business across Europe. “We are delighted to report that all this is very much on track, in line with our forecasts and we are excited for the future,” he said.
Acquisition
The purchase by Panasonic in September last year of Welwyn-Garden-City-based AMP, a long-established UK distributor for rival manufacturers Toshiba, Fujitsu and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, caused a sensation. The rivals were quick to react. By the beginning of October 2017, all of three of them had severed their ties with AMP.
Polly McConachie maintains that AMP’s commitment to service standards, “during this period of change”, enabled the company to achieve high levels of customer retention.
“Through continued learning, development and support, we have achieved outstanding results for the overall business,” she added.
During this period, AMP and Panasonic have introduced a variety of new sales tools, including an extended warranty scheme and Panasonic Premier rewards. AMP has also recently launched its Premier Solutions Partner scheme to recognise the technical expertise of its customers and strengthen their bond to the Panasonic brand.
Other changes this year have seen Makoto Takahashi and Enrique Vilamitjana, managing director of Panasonic Home Appliances Air Conditioning Europe, joining the AMP board, with, in June, AMP co-founder Martin Michaelson stepping down.
“Although the last year has been challenging at times which is a normal part of acquisitions, being a distributor specialising in Panasonic and having an input into product development is proving beneficial as we can convey the specific requirements of the UK market and tailor the product to meet those demands,” said Polly McConachie.
“We have also found it rewarding to see the development of our strong team spirit and high levels of motivation as we continue to build on AMP’s success. This has driven the company forward and helped us secure new business. We are now looking forward to growing our specifier team and delivering industry-leading technical training to even more customers,” she added.
