The ISF Group is a long-established manufacturer of a wide range of high performance wood finishes with a strong nationwide distribution set-up and a reputation for excellent customer service. Widely recognised for its technically outstanding products – and its impressive Promatch system – ISF also demonstrates a strong commitment to its environmental responsibilities.
W S Jenkins & Co Ltd is also a well-established business, being a fourth generation, traditional wood finishes manufacturer based in Tottenham, London. The company is known for its Harrell’s brand of traditional and modern wax polishes which are made using traditional methods and secret blends of natural waxes. Jenkins also manufacture a wide range of stains as well as probably the largest range of traditional and modified French Polishes and sealers in the UK, using the finest shellacs to original recipes.
The agreement came about as a result of discussions between ISF’s sales and commercial director, Mark Iliffe, and W S Jenkins managing director, Paul Humphrey. The two companies worked for six months to bring this deal to fruition and both parties are positive about the future.
ISF Group sales and commercial director, Mark Iliffe, says: “We both recognised and respected the fact that both ISF and W S Jenkins are established businesses with, for the most part, very complimentary product ranges. Both companies compliment each other so well, it’s a perfect fit.”
Whilst ISF is sited in a modern industrial situation in Leicester, the location of the ageing Jenkins factory in Tottenham, and the pressures of EPA, meant that there were issues which are not easy to reconcile in today’s challenging and competitive marketplace. The Jenkins brand, its recipes and its formulations are widely recognised and held in high esteem – so ISF becoming the manufacturing partner for W S Jenkins’s makes good sense commercially and from a practical standpoint.
Mark says he welcomes the increased capacity and capability that the new joint venture brings and that the teams are now examining the specifics of what is manufactured where and how the logistics will operate.
Both parties will merchandise each other’s products under agreed terms. Jenkins’ London customers have reacted very positively to the new lacquer and colour options that the firm has been able to introduce. In fact, Jenkins has been using ISF’s impressive Promatch system for a few months already and business has developed strongly for the London firm in that respect.
Both companies have thrived on the quality of their products over the generations and with the two product ranges, the combined ten sales representatives can offer a significant product range from the two firms.
At some stage in the future, with no specific date yet determined, a more permanent agreement could be agreed between the two companies.
“The new joint venture will give greater depth, capacity and flexibility to our comprehensive market presence and perhaps just as importantly, it creates an impressive wealth of knowledge and experience which will combine well with our technical approach. The two technical teams together will take coatings on to a higher level.”
This latest move from the progressive ISF team once again demonstrates the company’s confidence in the UK marketplace and its commitment to its customers.
On announcing the deal, ISF managing director, Ian Bridgwood, says: “We are absolutely delighted with the joint venture partnership. I am very pleased to see two long-established companies come together and I foresee a strong future for the new enlarged portfolio of products which represents a perfect blend of W S Jenkins’ time-honoured, traditional approach combined with ISF’s technically-astute and high-performance outlook.
“Moreover, the big winners will be the customers of ISF and W S Jenkins, and, of course, the marketplace as a whole.”
After agreeing the new deal, W S Jenkins managing director, Paul Humphrey, says: “We are very much looking forward to working closely with ISF under this new joint venture agreement. The new venture will not only make a larger range of products available to both of our existing customers but also open up a completely new market for us both to explore.”
