Global Fastener News

August 12, 1984 FIN – Emhart Corp., Farmington, Conn., has established a new consumer group and named Richard E. Campbell, longtime Black & Decker executive, to the new position of vice president, consumer group.

Emhart president, William C. Lichtenfels, said that consumer products represent a major growth area for the multinational company. They have the potential, he noted, to generate between 33 and 36 percent return on investment, off-setting the long lead times and cynical character of the company’s capital goods product lines. They include such brand names as Kwikset, Corbin, Mallory bolts and Notifier.
Campbell, 48, will direct the sales, marketing and advertising of a worldwide consumer products structure that had sales of approximately $230 million in 63 countries last year.
For the past two years, the new Emhart consumer group head was vice president and general manager, consumer accessories group at Black & Decker, Towson, Maryland. He joined that company in 1970 as marketing manager, consumer products.
Lichtenfels told FIN Campbell’s responsibility is to build a cohesive consumer products group pulling together sale and marketing operations in the U.S., U.K., Latin America, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, South Africa, Japan and Canada.
Underlying Emhart’s decision to emphasize consumer products, Lichtenfels said, was the explosive growth of the do-it-yourself and home improvement markets, estimated to grow in the U.S. at the annual rate of 13.4% and 12.3%, or to $92 billion and $156 billion, respectively, overall by 1990.
Emhart is a strong participant in both these markets, primarily through longstanding distribution channels comprising 30,000 hardware chains and home centers and 3,000 electrical and electronic retail outlets, Lichtenfels said..
He pointed out that last year Emhart introduced some 33 new consumer products to its lines of residential hardware; household adhesives; sealants; smoke, fire and heat alarms; glue and rivet guns; shoe care and automotive maintenance products; Pop rivets; Molly bolts; sewing aids; gardening items and burglar alarms, supporting the marketing of these with some $20 million in TV advertising, print, direct mail and merchandising programs.
Campbell’s career at Black & Decker for the past 14 years encompassed a number of executive posts in the area o consumer products. These included sales and marketing responsibilities of existing products and the development of new ones. He’ll be headquartered in the company’s corporate offices in Farmington, Conn. ©1984/2012 Fastener Industry News
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