Sales trends, margins of growth, the best-selling equipment, distribution and prospects for the future of the Greenworks brand, distributed in Italy by Hitachi Power Tools: all this spoke in an interview with GardenTV Maurizio Fiorin, OPE Manager of Hitachi Power Tools.
How did sales go when you took the Greenworks brand in Italy exclusively? The numbers and sales are up to your initial expectations?
Sales have gone and are going very well. The start was delayed by the bad start of the season, due to the weather conditions, then it was a crescendo that put us in difficulty in availability, partly caused by the non historicity of the sale of these products and also by the remarkable range of products.
We have 3 battery-powered ranges with 48 different models for a total of 90 versions to add 13 flush machines.
The satisfaction lies in seeing the growing trend of sales among the customers who have joined our proposal, which today has arrived, in some cases, to mature, with orders similar to those that occur for petrol-driven machines, the result of a good balance between product, price and quality.
What kind of growth margin do you expect for the next year?
For the next year we plan to triple the turnover.
There are several factors that lead us to affirm such an important growth, such as the market growth in the battery sector over 60%, the completion of the distribution throughout the national territory, the inclusion of new products in the ranges 40V-60VPRO-230V and water cleaners and finally the introduction of the Cramer Professional range.
Which of the battery-powered ranges Greenworks (40, 60, 82 V) achieved better sales results?
The 40V range is the one with the highest potential: 22 models powered by the same battery, high performance, production quality and price have immediately taken place in the private sector. The 60V Pro range is also preferred by retailers as it is more refined, equipped with brushless DiGiPro engines and professional machine performance. Then comes the 82V series that excites for performance and build quality, ranging from reinforced polycarbonate plastics to moisture insulation (IPX4 homologation), dedicated electronic boards and higher level components.
Even the wire range starts to be appreciated for the good product / price ratio.
Which product product (lawn mower, trimmer, blower, chainsaw ...) is the most requested?
Given the seasonality, the mower was the best-selling product; follow hedge trimmers, trimmer, blower, chainsaw ... With the arrival of autumn we expect a strong increase on blowers, chainsaws and hedge trimmers. Great expectations are placed in the electronic scissor powered by 82V batteries. There are many technical features that differentiate it from the competition, including the 360 ° joint of the power supply cable that avoids the continuous breakage and the low maintenance bearing on the blade that reduces cleaning and lubrication from daily to six months.
Are Greenworks machines already sold in Italy through specialized large-scale retail trade? And if so, what range?
We intend to dedicate the Greenworks brand to traditional distribution,
and it is not foreseen the opening towards any sign of the specialized large-scale retail trade.
Does the traditional Greenworks sales network rely on Hitachi's or has it been extended?
The battery-powered product adapts well to any type of distribution as it is almost always assembled and ready for use. Greenworks is a brand in itself and follows an independent distribution. The target of customers on the different voltages also differentiates the degree of distribution in the territory.
Does the fact of changing the brand name of the 82 V range have the intention of giving it a professional identity and distinguishing it from the others?
Cramer is a German company founded in 1835 with a long experience in the manufacture of products for professional use. The acquisition by Greenworks wants to strengthen and ferry this important brand in the future by adding innovative battery products to a range of petrol engines. The synergy of Globe tools and Cramer was created to offer the best of new technology to the professional sector that seeks robust and high performance products guaranteed by a single 82V platform in the market.