Next year marks a milestone 55-year trading anniversary for KBB distributor PJH, so Brett Jenkinson, retail channel director, shares his thoughts on how business has been this year and how the company will continue navigating success through 2027 and beyond.
Q: How’s business been for PJH this year?
It has been a busy year in a challenging market, with significant investment to support our customers and prepare the business for the future. Our April and October launches have continued to develop Bathrooms to Love and Bathrooms2GO, alongside brand refreshes. We have also broadened our partnerships, including a new appliance collaboration with Fisher & Paykel, and extended ranges such as Fibo wall panels, and Abode FOCUS 60 bathrooms. For stockists, those developments mean more opportunities to meet different customer needs. There is plenty to be positive about, although we recognise how hard customers are working for every sale.
Q: How has last years’ opening of the flagship, state-of-the-art Distribution Centre in Wolverhampton benefitted the business?
At 205,000 sq. ft., Wolverhampton has given us greater stockholding capacity and room to develop our offer, benefiting customers and bathroom, appliance, sink & tap brand partners including Neff, Bosch, Samsung, Elica, Hotpoint, Indesit, Hoover, Candy, Haier, AEG, Electrolux and Insinkerator. The practical value for customers is confidence in availability and delivery as ranges expand. It has also created opportunities to bring customers closer to the products and people behind them. Our stunning 3,000 sq. ft. showroom hosted events in March and May, including the VitrA roadshow, with further showroom events planned. Seeing products first-hand and talking through the options remains valuable, particularly when retailers are deciding where to invest in their own displays.
Q: Why the huge investment in a brand new PJH Partners Portal™ to replace old one?
The existing Portal is an important part of how customers do business with us, but expectations keep moving. We want the next generation Portal to make everyday tasks easier and provide a more flexible foundation for future improvements. Retailers have enough demands on their time, so digital investment needs to deliver practical benefits. It should also work alongside our people: customers should be able to manage routine business conveniently and still reach someone who understands their needs when they want advice or help.
Q: What is the PJH ‘First Choice’ Customer Service Promise?
It means considering the whole experience of working with PJH and treating customers as partners. Product choice matters, but so do reliable deliveries, helpful advice and how we respond when something needs resolving. Our next-day delivery service is an important part of that, supported by colleagues who understand the pressures customers face. Our Voice of the Customer feedback helps shape the business and identify where we need to improve. In a competitive market, service is a real point of difference, but being someone’s ‘First Choice’ has to be earned consistently.
Q: Looking ahead to the next 12 months and beyond, what’s next for PJH?
Our 55th anniversary in 2027 is a milestone, but our attention is firmly on what customers need next. Priorities include rolling out the new Partners Portal as a platform for further development, refreshing our own appliance brand, Prima, and continuing to evolve Bathrooms to Love and Bathrooms2GO, with further launches planned for 2027. New websites for both bathroom brands, Prima and PJH are also part of that investment. We will continue supporting BIFIS as an Advocate. The pace of market recovery remains uncertain, but we can keep enhancing our products, service and support that help our customers move forward.
Further information:
PJH: T: 0345 450 8932 / www.partners.pjh.uk / www.pjh.uk
