Gordon Ellis takes dead aim at U.S. market

MARIETTA, Ga. - Gordon Ellis & Co. teamed up with a specialty distributor in July to help give HME providers better access to its high-end bath safety and other cash products.

Turnkey Trading Solutions, dba Gordon Ellis USA, specializes in helping manufacturers in the United Kingdom, like Gordon Ellis, broaden their reach in the United States.

“The biggest challenge a lot of these companies coming from England and the U.K. have is that they can generate a lot of interest in their products, but if the product is not here, a lot of (providers) aren't interested in importing it,” said Steve O'Hare, vice president of sales for Turnkey.

Previously, for example, Gordon Ellis had a rep in the United States and some product here, but no warehouse. The result: Plenty of back orders, which nobody likes, O'Hare said.

That's where Turnkey comes in. Rather than going to the expense of sending an employee to the United States or setting up a company here (often cost prohibitive), a U.K. company can hire Turnkey, which for a small commission fulfills orders from its warehouse in Marietta, said O'Hare, who is British and co-owner of Pedors shoes.

To maximize its margins, Turnkey focuses on higher-end products.

“What we sense is that there is a shift away from the cheaper stuff,” O'Hare said. “A lot of people are prepared to spend a little more to have a quality item that may well last a bit longer or is better designed.”

Gordon Ellis' products include raised toilet seats, bath seats and grab bars among others.

Turnkey also distributes product in the United States for Mangar International (bath lifts and independent living aids) and Trio Healthcare (ostomy).