Rapid Group reports record year

Rapid Group announces most successful year to date as NZ expansion gathers pace.

Rapid Group has reported its most successful year to date, according to general manager Bruce Lees.

Presenting at this year’s RapidClean Conference in Auckland, Lees said the co-operative had achieved 18.5 per year on year growth in 2017 – marking eight consecutive years of double digit growth.

“Rapid Group has had the most successful year in the history of the group, not just financially but at almost every level,” Lees said.

Over the past 12 months Rapid added three members in Australia and 11 in NZ. Other highlights for the group in 2017 included the redesign of Rapid’s private label and paper products, as well as the launch of a guest amenities range.

New members in Australia included WrapRite in Orange, NSW; Never2Clean in Seven Hills, NSW and EP Cleaning Supplies in Port Lincoln, South Australia. Two members in Adelaide and Hobart also opened second stores.

At last year’s conference in South Australia, Lees outlined Rapid’s five-year plan, with the main goal to more than double turnover and purchases from preferred suppliers by 2022.

“After one year of the plan we’re ahead of schedule,” Lees said. “Our vision is to be Australia and New Zealand’s dominant supply group embracing innovation, product knowledge and customer service.”

Craig Newton and Bruce Lees

NZ expansion gathers pace

Lees also announced the appointment of Craig Newton as the group’s first country manager for NZ to spearhead local growth.

Based in Wellington, Newton has previously held senior sales and management roles in Asia, Australia and NZ with Nilfisk, Godfreys, Royal Touch Paper Products and most recently, Central Cleaning Supplies.

Newton told INCLEAN NZ he is confident the Rapid business model can be successfully replicated in New Zealand.

“Even in the short tenure of one year, the NZ members are already very committed to the brand. The focus for me is to bring the supply channel and membership together.”

The Rapid Group first entered the NZ market in 2017 and has built its network to 11 members over the past 12 months. Members include Otago Cleaning Supplies, Christchurch Cleaning Supplies, Specialist Cleaning Supplies, VJ Distributors, Counties Cleaning Supplies, Commercial Cleaning Repair, Cleancare Supplies, Cleanlink and Waikato Cleaning Supplies.

New NZ members were announced in July this year – Pack Centre NZ in Plymouth and CleantechNZ in Papamoa. In Australia, the Rapid Group has more than 55 members, with its footprint a mixture of RapidClean branded sites and independently-operated sites. RapidClean members in NZ remain fully owned NZ businesses.

“The Rapid Group has been so successful in Australia because the business structure and marketing of the brand is really cemented. I want to replicate that here and I believe once we do we can grow quite quickly,” Newton said.

According to Newton, Auckland, Wellington and Central North Island will be target areas for new sites to help solidify the brand, adding the company is aiming to add as many as four members over the next 12 months, which would take the total number of members to 15.

The 2019 Rapid Group conference will be held in Sydney.

Read more about the Rapid Group conference in the next issue of INCLEAN magazine. INCLEAN attended the Rapid Group conference as a guest of the Rapid Group.

One thought on “Rapid Group reports record year

  1. Congratulations Rapid Team. The Group certainly has grown into a major player status in such quick time from its fledgling days.
    I still remember the heavy discussions around the board table.
    Well done.

    David Wilson.

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