Founded in 1986, Kingswinford based Newline Plumbing and Heating has recently re-opened its doors to unveil its new ‘face-lift.’
The company was founded in 1986 by Mike Kendrick, who was originally pledged £500 from his brother to start a business in Oldbury by selling plumbing and heavyside building materials. This then continued onto the next generation with Mike’s son, Steve Kendrick, who was keen to follow in his father’s footsteps and began working alongside Mike in 1997 by serving on the trade counter and making tea.
The opening marks the next stage of the partnership between Newline and The IPG buying group to create a ‘dual branded’ flagship store, one of three IPG partnerships to open across the UK this summer. Founded in 2013, The IPG aims to work with its merchant members to give customers the opportunity to “buy the best brands locally at great prices” and hopes that the new partnerships will help smaller merchants grow and become trusted hubs for local installers.
The flagship store was formally opened on 27 August by The Mayor of Dudley, who praised Newline for its longevity and co-operation with its buying group partner. The branch has been entirely relaunched with everything from layout optimisation to new fascias as well as a new website and online branding. In order to ensure that the merchant would serve as more than just a pit-stop between jobs for installers and engineers, helpful amenities have also been introduced, such as a coffee machine and phone charging station.
Steve remarked: “Today marks a milestone for Newline. I believe the future will be as strong as the foundation our partnership has been built on and I am excited for the times ahead. With The IPG’s support, we have a shop and a new website that we can be very proud of. We understand that an online presence is an important part of the customer experience today and our new store and website presents us in a professional way.”
Nike Lovell, The IPG’s Head of Marketing, also commented: “It is a pivotal moment for both our group and our members, the company is committed to encouraging communities to support their local independent plumbing, heating and bathroom specialists, where alongside unrivalled service and unbiased, honest advice; a customer is likely to find that their shopping basket is cheaper.”
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