Apta: a new home & a brighter future
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Apta stock at Pollington
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Apta Lightweight Beton group in Sand colourway
With a 35-year heritage, Apta has long been integral to the garden retail sector. In recent months, the pot and planter brand has undergone its most significant change yet. However, the transition has been so smooth that only some may have noticed the change.
In late 2023, Apta relocated to a new home at the AMES Companies headquarters in Pollington, East Yorkshire. This move, part of AMES’ ongoing investment programme, which saw more than £3million invested in the business last year alone, was undertaken to offer improved efficiencies for AMES Companies customers, whilst also futureproofing Apta.
The relocation, which took place over several months and after significant consultation, has seen Apta set up home within a new state-of-the-art 27,000sq ft warehouse facility that forms part of the 50-acre Pollington site. The new facility offers 67% more indoor and outdoor stock holding than the previous location, giving Apta plenty of room to grow, whilst the new capacity for 10,000 pallets in the first year represents an uplift of over 47%. Of course, an increased stock footprint means nothing without the proper behind-the-scenes support, which is why Apta will also benefit from AMES’ unfaltering logistics programme, which includes linked sales solutions, multiple pallet deal configurations and five-day SLAs, even during peak season.
Paul North, AMES Companies Managing Director, said: “The relocation of Apta from Ashford, Kent to Pollington, Yorkshire marks a pivotal moment for the future of Apta. The long-established brand, one that is at the very heart of the pot and planter category, is now supported by an infrastructure that allows for long-term sustainable growth. Moreover, the move means that Apta customers will benefit from access to more stock during this season and in time will be able order and receive combined deliveries of Pots and Landscaping products. This move is all about making life easier for our customers moving forward.”
Paul added: “The AMES Companies-led vision for Apta is clear: Through innovation, investment and an unrelenting commitment to becoming the industry’s ‘supplier of choice,’ we firmly believe in what Apta is and what it can become.”
New catalogue available now
With so much on offer from Apta in 2024, the new catalogue will become a well-thumbed tome for retailers and buying teams the length and breadth of the country. To download yours, please visit www.apta.co.uk/catalogue
Find out more
To stay updated about all things Apta, including access to the the dedicated trade portal, where you will find a comprehensive image library, POS guide and Product Database alongside the 2024 catalogue, please visit www.apta.co.uk. Further details about the AMES Companies by visiting www.ames-uk.com
At a glance: Apta 2024
A new home for Apta is not the only exciting development for the brand. Season 24 also sees several new range expansions, Apta Lightweight coming to life in-store. and a new merchandising concept to help drive sales.
- Apta Lightweight - This collection has been created in direct response to market and consumer needs, and represents a new generation of indoor and outdoor pots made from recycled material and that are recyclable again at the end of their lifespan. The range has been specifically created to fill a gap that has long existed in the planter category. Offering an improved product hierarchy, multiple user benefits including a 10-year guarantee, and a lower price point than the competition, Apta Lightweight is opening up container gardening to a much broader consumer demographic, further bolstering the brand’s position as the ‘go-to’ for all things pots!
- Further expansion of Apta ranges - Whilst Apta Lightweight represents a significant development for the pots and planter category, the team hasn’t stopped there… Joining the line-up will be five additional ranges, all exclusive to Apta. Created with one job in mind – to drive sales – the breadth and variety on offer ensures that no gaps are left, with trend-led details, finishes and shapes making the 2024 collection the best yet. All new introductions offer frost-proof protection and come complete with a 10-year guarantee.
- Merchandising masterclass - The Apta Planting Bench has been brought to market to offer multiple benefits for both retailers and consumers, including increasing the average basket spend by making shopping easier, maximising the retail footprint, and keeping stock refreshed to showcase seasonal planting and Kelkay’s complementary horticultural grits.
- Pick and mix - Supporting bestselling lines. Apta also allows customers to purchase individual units to mixed and half pallets, nested sets boxed and ‘multiples’, offering greater flexibility and supporting seasonal stock fluctuations.