Managing Director of Portway Domestic Appliances, John Bainbridge (pictured), has announced his retirement after more than 30 years at the helm of the company. He will leave on 27 August 2021.
Mr Bainbridge’s ethics and enthusiasm over the past three decades reflects his hard working pledge in helping Portway nurture and grow into what it is today – a family orientated business, a way of life that makes up a large percentage of the Portway customer base both past and present.
“John’s expertise and commitment in helping build Portway into a modern-day national distribution force is unparalleled in most companies these days,” the company said.
As only the fourth employee to officially join the Portway staff back in the early 1990’s, Mr Bainbridge has been instrumental in developing the distribution centre over the years. Starting out of a small, rented warehouse, with his guidance Portway now operates out of its own company-owned 100,000sq ft premises, hosting and distributing a whole number of brands that have been brought into the UK marketplace during his time in Andover.
Big brands, such as Hisense, Fridgemaster, Ebac, Simfer and New World, and particularly Amica – a brand that Mr Bainbridge helped build from scratch in the UK and is proud to have achieved hugely successful results with established organic and sustainable growth.
“John often fondly talks of past trade events and memorable sales conferences to the Caribbean and the United States, but mainly of valued Portway customers, suppliers and colleagues, many of which John considers to be trusted and highly regarded friends,” said the company statement.
“With retirement, John can look forward to a new life in the New Forest with his partner Jane and his two Terriers, Mollie and Ruby, with his time spent leisurely catching the breeze out on the Solent or sailing his model boats around the local waterways. John’s retirement from Portway will not only create a huge void as a pillar of the company and integral part of daily office life, but also as a trusted, expert mind whose brains can no longer be picked.
“Jack, Ken and Rory and everyone at Portway wish John the very best for his retirement… And as they say, life begins at 60… It’s the new 40.”
