Vapouround magazine Issue 06 | Page 160

FYI Major TPD-Inspired Changes Sees Vaping Warehouse and E-quits Group Formed AS ONE OF THE UK’S LARGEST MANUFACTURERS OF E-LIQUID’S, LONJAS UK (NOW PART OF THE E-QUITS GROUP) HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE UK FOR SOME TIME NOW. However, with a diversifying market place and the shadow of the TPD hanging ominously overhead, things have changed drastically over the last year or so. Lonjas never intended to launch its own ranges and were quite happy creating wonderful flavours and producing them for their customers. (whom many have built up great brand awareness on high streets up and down the cities of Europe and beyond.) Lonjas were happy with that, content to stay quietly as the hidden partner in the background as the customers made their names. With the imminent introduction of the TPD, things changed. It was clear that everybody would have to streamline their ranges and future bespoke flavours would need to be launched with a degree of caution and more extensive market research, which was never previously required. Lonjas CEO David Extance has been actively involved with the new regulations since the day they were announced and sits on the all-parliamentary panel for E-cigarettes, Lonjas has also been credited by the MHRA for its consultation on the regulations. Lonjas had also noticed the tendency for 160 ISSUE 06 VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE wholesalers to be taking the Lion’s share of the profit away from the manufacturer and the retailer, whilst also being the least interested parties when it came to discussing and implementing the incoming regulations. It was with this in mind that the concept for the VapingWarehouse.co.uk was born, to create a hub where the retailer outlets could deal directly with the manufacturer and pay the kind of prices that only distributors and wholesalers are used to paying, and to build a ‘direct to source’ relationship between the creators and sellers of e-liquid where future flavours can be discussed and the feedback is first hand from those who know their business. The Vapingwarehouse.co.uk was launched with three new premium brands, and also the entire catalogue of Heidi Heisenberg’s ridiculously tasty range of flavours. As to not upset the many customers who Lonjas manufacture for, (some of whom had raised concerns that they were going into direct competition with them) , Lonjas offered a very agreeable solution, in that we would promote their ranges both on the vapingwarehouse. co.uk website and also with our tour of trade shows and Exhibitions we show at every year. It was around this time that a deal was struck between David Extance and Heidi Davies (Owner of Heidi Heisenberg Ltd) where Heidi’s already established range would become part of the E-quits family in return for TPD compliance and product development. With the new arrangements in place, a company restructure was required, The E-quits group was formed, so Lonjas UK, VapingWarehouse.co.uk and Heidi Heisenberg Ltd were all now family members of the E-quits group, where Lonjas UK facilitates manufacturing for our customer ranges as it has always done, and VapingWarehouse.co.uk became the supply outlet to retailers and shops throughout the UK and beyond. Alongside the new structuring, an aggressive pricing policy was implemented for all of the new products to allow the retailers to buy cheap and sell high. To accompany this, E-quits also offered an industry first, sale or return/ or credit facilities to their high street customers which allowed for a complete risk free partnership The team have since been busy developing a range of 25 white