Chief executive Gerard Cohen confirmed that while expansion of Coemar’s production facilities in Belarus will enable the company to bring commercial luminaires to market faster and more cost-competitively, the handover of administrative responsibility will provide more creative freedom for the company’s inventor, Bruno Dedoro, as head of Coemar’s R&D and production operations. "Over the past two decades, Coemar has designed groundbreaking products such as the Robot, NAT and CF series of luminaires, and this will continue. At the same time we are looking at ways of improving the global distribution network to create better market penetration."Cohen has also confirmed that the company has set up a UK operation - Coemar UK. At its helm is Ian Kirby who was instrumental in establishing Martin Professional in the UK, setting up the company’s original base at the end of the 1980s. He left Martin to build an internet portal, G.E.T.com, and more recently has been working with his wife Julie at recruitment specialists Taylor Phillips.
Kirby becomes the major shareholder in the new privately-owned operation, with Coemar USA taking a minor stake. The new facility will offer full warehousing and distribution and will assume all warranties and service for the products sold under Coemar’s previous distribution arrangement. Joining Ian Kirby will be Ashley Lewis, as sales manager of TV lighting and Chris Hale as product manager, with one further sales position yet to be announced.
The new company is operational from April 1.
(Lee Baldock)
