Barrus expands chandlery market activities

British marine engine and equipment distributor EP Barrus has announced it has reached an agreement to become a distributor of Akzo Nobel’s International Paint brand in the UK. Late last week it also signed an exclusive distribution agreement to represent the Italian company Glomex’s line of antennas and connectivity products in the UK and Ireland.

These two announcements represent a clear statement of intent that the Bicester-based company is seeking to increase its marine chandlery division, which was founded in 2018, to build on its very successful marine inboard and outboard engine business as UK distributors of the Yanmar, Mercury and Mariner brands. The company is also active in the garden machinery and garden tools market as well industrial engines. It is a major supplier to the British Ministry of Defence, Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), Coastguard and many Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Later this year Barrus will be moving into new warehouse, office and engineering centre on the 16-acre Ministry of Defence’s former site within two miles of its existing Bicester facility.

The company was established over 100 years ago and moved into the marine market in the 1930s and now services over 1,700 marine trade customers in the UK and Ireland. Barrus had total sales from all activities of £63.7m in the year ended 30 September 2018. Earlier this year, the company bought back control of the business from the US-based Modern Tool and Die Company, which is one of the largest garden machinery manufactures in the world with annual sales of over $2bn.