Britain-based MI manufacturer and distributor John Hornby Skewes & Co. Ltd. (JHS) has announced the appointment of Paul Smith to the role of managing director.

Founded in 1965, JHS is a family-owned and led SME and a well-established distributor of musical instruments and accessories, offering a range of over 4,500-plus products across a combination of third-party distributed and proprietary brands through a variety of channels in over 150 countries. In Canada, its distributed brands include Encore, JHS Hornby, Laka, and more.

The company says Smith's talent, drive, creativity, diligence, determination, technical knowledge, people skills, empathy, and other attributes will stand him in good stead in his new position in directing the company’s overall activities, direction, and future path.


As well, Adam Butterworth, who joined the Company in May 2006, is appointed to the position of director of sales. Butterworth, who has been instrumental in the growth and consolidation and success of JHS’ export business, will be bringing his commercial acumen and sales skills to bear across JHS’ export and domestic sales activities.  

Simon Turnbull, another long-serving JHS team member is appointed to the position of media and communications manager, looking after all aspects of the company’s strategic and creative design team, managing the overall operation and creative thrust of The company’s web, social media, PR, media and content creation, communications, publications, packaging and graphic design, and exhibitions activities.

In JHS's Purchasing Department, it announced the appointment of Dominic Rossington to the role of senior buyer.

Dennis Drumm has handed the JHS managing director baton to Smith, and he will be taking up the role of CEO, and will be working with Smith, the directors, managers and staff in all departments across the company and with external sources and contributors, with a focus on future commercial and brand strategies, direction and specific projects, ensuring that  nearly five decades of all facets of commercial sales and business management experience in both retail and MI distribution remains available to support the JHS management team, our customers and our suppliers.

JHS will continue to be chaired by Linda Drumm, who has worked in every department in the company at one time or another since she first became involved in the family firm in 1975, ensuring that her experience, diverse attributes, ethic, and the essential family connection she represents remain a fundamental part of the Company’s dynamic, continues to underscore the Company’s activities and inform its ‘raison d’ȇtre’.

For more information, contact JHS: +44-0-113-286-5381, info@jhs.co.uk, www.jhs.co.uk.

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