PaperlinX reaffirms two major brand strategy

Coordinated sales, marketing, supply and logistics are aimed at bolstering the Dalton and Spicers brands.

A major shake-up at PaperlinX Merchanting, including some redundancies of senior staff, is being described as a ‘pro-active realignment with the market.” In the face of market deterioration in the vicinity of a 20 per cent fall in volumes, the changes will leverage efficiencies and responsibilities across the group. Despite the creation of co-ordinating roles the company maintains its commitment to developing its two-brand strategy.

“Fundamentally it is about coping with a pretty tough environment,” said Rohan Dean, group strategic sourcing manager. “No one can deny that it is challenging, especially during the last quarter. We’re moving to address that.”

The changes see industry veteran, Brian Longmore, appointed to group general manager sales and marketing. In this role he will be accountable for the total sales function of the Australian PaperlinX Merchanting business, encompassing the Dalton and Spicers brands. Two other group appointments have Glenn Carter as group regional manager Victoria and Tasmania and Ian Winters as group regional manager NSW and ACT. The former territory accounts for approximately two-thirds of the group’s revenue with the latter making up the rest.

This will bring these regions inline with the coordinated activities that already exist in Queensland, where Terry Hicks will continue in a coordinating role as group regional manager. The model has also been operating in South Australia for a number of years where Antony Laforgia will now also take on group regional manager responsible for Western Australia and the Northern Territory as the group regional Manager SA, WA and NT.