NEWS
Stanley B&D
partners with WHS
Wholesale Housing Supplies (WHS) has been an agent for Stanley
hand tools for the past few years, but recently the two companies
chose to align strategically to grow their significance in the market.
T
4
JULY 2018
RESIDENTIAL // COMMERCIAL // INDUSTRIAL
WHS and Stanley Black & Decker have set themselves ambitious goals on the selected
brand portfolios.
“We have set ourselves ambitious goals on
the selected brand portfolios, but it is only
with this kind of drive backed by a solid
launch plan and route to market strategy,
that we can grow these categories
exponentially. We can no longer ‘plod along’
with Stanley Black & Decker, but need to be
fully committed to the achievement of these
set objectives, which will prove to be
profitable to both WHS and Stanley Black &
Decker,” says group managing director of
WHS, Gustav Mertz.
Mertz adds, “We are truly excited to have
reached this agreement with such a
formidable brand in the market and know that
we will work tirelessly together with Stanley
Black & Decker to ensure that this partnership
is a fruitful and sustainable one.”
he WHS and Stanley Black &
Decker partnership kicked off
when WHS launched Stanley
power tools in October 2017.
“In the first few months of having
Stanley power tools in our business,
we saw significant sales growth in
this category,” says William
Maroleng, managing director,
WHS Hardware.
“This is encouraging, as we can
see the value of having a powerful
brand like Stanley in our business,
likewise, Stanley can see the
opportunities of working with WHS;
given our extensive national
footprint of sales offices and sales
people on the ground, as well as our
extensive distribution network and
the ability to get break bulk supply
to the smallest hardware store in the
furthest town. It was then that we
started discussing growing this
relationship on a more strategic
partnership level,” says Shelley
Galliver, marketing director, WHS.
At an executive meeting in Dubai
at the end of January, the two
companies aligned on a route to
market strategy, defined a product
and brand portfolio for WHS to take
to market. The aim is to be Stanley
Black & Decker’s single biggest
distributor in sub-Saharan Africa
over the next few years. WHS are in
the process of launching a range of
Black & Decker power tools, a few
additional Stanley power tool
products, additional Stanley hand
tool products, a comprehensive
range of accessories and an Irwin
range of plumbing specific tools.