Joe Davies has been appointed distributor of Xpressions 4 U ranges to independent retailers.
As from this Friday (January 7), Xpressions’ popular ranges, such as Pots of Dreams, Nordic Lights, Feather & Grace as well as its licensed giftware ranges on brands such as Boofle, Only Fools & Horses, Dad’s Army and Minecraft will only be available to indies from Joe Davies.
Explaining the rationale behind the change, Xpressions’ managing director Kishor Shah said: “We have been working on new strategies to evolve the Xpressions business to meet the changing marketplace and to ensure we keep on track for our long-term plans for growth. As part of this strategy, we are moving to new offices and changing to third party warehousing.”
As Kishor elaborated: “Joe Davies is a well-respected family-owned business, renowned for its award winning customer service and their ‘little & often’ order system, which is a perfect fit for the Xpressions range and our customers.”
The addition of the Xpressions 4 U collections further bolster Joe Davies’ already strong product portfolio.
“We are very excited to be working with Xpressions and looking forward to supplying Xpressions’ customers, many of which we already serve,” comments Joe Davies’ commercial director Paul Hooker. “The brands are a perfect match to our existing ranges and the tie up will really benefit both companies’ customers.”
To christen the new set up, Joe Davies and Xpressions are offering a 10% discount on the first Xpressions order placed with Joe Davies between 7 January-1 March 2022.
The collection will be on display on the Joe Davies stand at Spring Fair, which takes place February 6-9 at the NEC, Birmingham. Prices remain unchanged for customers.
Christine Harrison’s recent retirement
The ever-popular Christine Harrison, latterly sales director of Xpressions, has just retired after 42 years in the industry. “I have worked in the gift and card industry since I was 21 off and on – spending almost 20 years with Xpressions in its various guises. I have had some great times and laughs in the trade and met some wonderful people,” Christine told PG Buzz.
Recounting her working career, Christine explained she started with Richard Cook Chertsey, importers of basket and wickerware “when everyone ate chicken out of a basket. I then I came out of the trade and ran my own hotel in Devon with my husband for 15 years. Having sold the hotel, I went for a fateful interview with Peter Goodman and Mike Apicella and the rest is history as they say, spending almost 20 years with Xpressions. I went from area manager to regional manager in four years at UKG. Kishor Shah then bought Xpressions in 2011 Peter proposed me as sales director when he left a couple of years later.”
As for the plans for her retirement, Christine is not going to take up knitting. “I broke my arm very badly a couple of years ago roller skating. I’ve just bought an electric bike for my retirement…what can possibly go wrong?!”
Top: Xpressions 4 U’s Pots of Dreams collection has been phenomenally successful for years.
