Fit for every purpose

Founded in 1928, Harris specialised in the production of tools for decorators right from the very beginning. Today the range of products can be roughly divided into three categories: brushes, rollers and other decorating equipment. These were specifically developed with the consumer in mind. However, in 2004 the company decided to enter the professional market as well. This led to the development of the T-Class brand, which nowadays boasts four sub-brands: Ultima, Super, Definition and Delta.The paintbrush offering consists of products with natural, synthetic or mixed filament bristles. The range of rollers stretches from cage systems to push-fit systems, from high-quality polyacrylates to inexpensive imitation mohair. The assortment is complemented by rollers from the Super-Tex range, which are used to create special design effects. When developing tools for painters and decorators the company aims for a mixture of the traditional and the innovative. The product palette ranges from scrapers through to putty knives and chisel knives as well. They are available both in the starter price category and at the top end of the scale. The company offers retailers the possibility of price promotions. What is more, special POS merchandiser modules have been designed for key products such as the knife and glove series. Harris also offers other sales aids in the shape of shelf wobblers, ticket strips and hanging banners.A three-man marketing team directs the sale of the company’s entire spectrum of products for both DIYers and professionals throughout Europe and the world from headquarters in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England. The company regards the global export business as a central field of growth for this year. “While we have over 50 per cent of the DIY market in the UK, our market share in the US, Europe and Asia is considerably smaller,” explains marketing director James Prentice. The company sees its cost-effective production facility in China as a definite advantage in the face of any competition.
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