AFG Kitchens UK in MBO

AFG Kitchens UK Ltd has announced the management buy out of its UK headquarters in Abingdon. Owner of the kitchen brand, Warendorf Forster and Piatti has agreed the sale of its UK HQ showroom in Abingdon to its managing director, Jim Gettings.
Following a restructure of its business, moving the administration of its Warendorf kitchen furniture brand to Germany, Warendorf Forster and Piatti decided to sell its retail arm because it no longer fitted with its distribution policy.
All employees will move across to the new company, Abingdon Furniture Gallery Ltd which will continue as a retailer for premium Warendorf kitchen furniture. 
Jim Gettings, managing director for AFG in the UK, says, “Since we opened the AFG flagship operation in Abingdon in mid 2009, we have seen consistent growth for the retail and contracts operation year-on-year.  The restructuring of Warendorf’s distribution across Europe presented me with an exciting opportunity to secure the purchase of its only UK retail operation. The move ensures the jobs of the UK team and the Abingdon showroom will remain the largest retailer of the Warendorf brand within the UK.”
UK based sales manager, Mark Keary, will continue working on Warendorf’s market development strategy and support sales partners across the UK.
Managing director of Warendorf, Thorsten Pree commented: “We are delighted that we will continue working with the team at Abingdon to promote the Warendorf brand. The sale of the retail operation will allow us now to focus on our evolving distribution policy within the UK and Europe.”

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