Brother sales and profit improve

Press, 20 August 1982, Page 20

Brother sales and profit improve

Brother Distributors. Ltd. increased sales 35 per cent and its net profit more than 20 per cent in the first- four months of this financial year, said the chairman. Mr A. R. Guthrey, at the annual meeting yesterday. These figures excluded the results from Abron Machines, Ltd, the Lower Hutt industrial machine distributor. which was bought by Brother on June 8. The moving of Brother's Wellington offices to the leased premises of Abron at Lower Hutt, would offer considerable savings in that area, he said. The take-over of Abron.

which distributes Brother industrial sewing machines, had the full backing of Brother Industries, Ltd, of Japan, and since then the Japanese firm had given Brother Distributors more favourable credit terms than before. A shareholder put a motion recommending that a marketing manager be appointed to assist in the future development of the company, and the resolution was passed without dissent. Mr Guthrey said that the directors had been considering appointing a marketing manager, but the take-over of Abron had intervened.

Mr N. R. Eades (left); managing director of Toyota New Zealand, Ltd, who will retire in December. Mr R. L. Field has been appointed general manager, ' from August 1, and will succeed Mr Eades as chief executive of the company on Jaunuary 1 next year. Mr Field, aged 35, has had 15 years experience in the motor industry, including service in Australia

and Britain. He joined Toyota in 1979 as finance and administration manager. Mr Eades was formerly a director of Challenge Corporation, Ltd, and, on his retirement from that position, in December, 1977, was appointed managing director of Toyota. He is also a member of the board of Lane, Walker, Rudkin Industries, Ltd, and the New Zealand board of M.L.C.