Harrogate Christmas & Gift Show:Hall D, Stand D1
Trans-Continental, the company behind the well known Christmas brand Snowtime, has taken the decision to consolidate its activities and focus mainly on fob and direct container business in future. Chairman Mike Withers commented
“With the lease on our warehouse, which we have occupied for more than 25 years, coming up for renewal, and complications following the hacking of our systems by Russian criminals last year; we have decided to take this step. Many of our customers order in full container loads anyway and discussions as to the way forward have been ongoing within the company for a couple of years. The wild fluctuations in freight rates following the upheaval of the pandemic have rendered this step inevitable.
In acknowledgement of the fact that some smaller sized products, such as Christmas lights, can make filling a container difficult, we have been working for some time on offering customers a service whereby goods from different manufacturers can be shipped together. We are now able to consolidate goods from five separate factories into one container. There are no added costs for this service, meaning customers can be price competitive while not taking unnecessary risks with stock”.
CHRISTMAS TRENDS
The Christmas market is evolving rapidly, where people used to wait until well into December before putting up the tree, we are now seeing trees going up and houses decorated from mid-November. This is having the effect of elongating the season (no bad thing) and bringing customers into retailer’s premises earlier than used to be the case. Added to the much longer shipping times from the Far East, customers are requesting earlier delivery dates so as not to miss the start of the season. That, of course, relies upon retailers placing their orders in good time, certainly before the end of January. The perennial problem that British Christmas suppliers face is the priority manufacturers will always give to the vastly greater orders coming from the USA. Therefore, we strive always to utilise a factory’s low season to make our stock, before the so called “golden period” in June and July when production lines are full of goods earmarked for Home Depot and Walmart etc.
One trend we have noticed in recent years is the growing popularity of cluster or compact lights for trees. They do look more attractive than strings but consumers have to be aware that they are shorter than the traditional product and two or three sets may be required to dress the tree (again, no bad thing!).
We have also seen a growing trend for mixed cool and ice white lights, a combination we first tried 10 years ago, sometimes you can be too early.
Wallace and Gromit
The company has announced the launch of a new licence to market Christmas products featuring Aardman’s beloved characters Wallace & Gromit. Managing Director Sara Murray commented ’this is an exciting opportunity to develop products based on such well-loved characters, known throughout the world. Our designers have been working for months creating an exciting product range which will be showcased to customers in the new year. It is particularly pleasing as the creator of the series, Nick Park, is from Preston, just a few miles from our offices in Blackpool.’ The new range will complement the company’s other licensed brands, the highly successful The Snowman, The Snowman and The Snowdog and the hugely popular Richard MacNeil artwork.
The company will be exhibiting at Harrogate where it will launch the new Wallace & Gromit range of licensed Christmas product.
For more information visit: www.snowtime.co.uk
