Since 2001, The Brackenbury Group has had the opportunity to acquire and develop a portfolio of retail and consumer businesses in a variety of sectors. During this time we have completed three acquisitions, two start ups and successfully divested two of our businesses. Currently we have three operating businesses, Allans Music, Great British Apparel and Brackenbury Shared Services.
AUSTRALIAN MUSIC GROUP
In July 2010, Brackenbury successfully merged Allans Music Group with Australian Music Group including Allans Music and Billy Hyde Music retail and online stores. The merged entity comprises 28 “Allans Music + Billy Hyde” Co-branded stores across Australia, Musiclink, Musiclink Orchestral, Inter Music Distribution and Billy Hyde Stage Systems hire businesses.
The product portfolio of these wholesalers represents some of the most recognizable brands in music including Zildjian, Pearl, D’Addario, Korg, Line 6, Ludwig, DW, Remo, and dozens more.
The merger brings together two of the most distinguished, long established and recognizable music retail brands in Australia – Allans Music and Billy Hyde Music. The store network includes full line music showcases in major CBD locations as well as major suburban and regional stores nationally.
The merged retail business is the undisputed market leader in Australian musical products retailing and together employs in excess of 580 people.
About Allans Music
Allans Music’s history goes back as far as the 1850s when the entrepreneurial Joseph Wilkie and George Allan set up a music warehouse in Melbourne's Collins Street, catering for a population of just 20,000. Far more than just a ‘seller' of musical instruments, the Collins Street store fast became a musical Mecca for the talented and famous – Dame Nellie Melba took her early lessons at Allans! That history means it is one of the most recognisable and successful national brands in music.
www.allansmusic.com.au
About Billy Hyde Music
AMG’s retail arm, Billy Hyde Music was founded in 1962 by its namesake Billy Hyde. A young Billy Hyde began his long drumming career during the depression of the early 1930's. The Billy Hyde name quickly expanded into other states and territories, as a network of over 20 stores developed and is today, the largest music products retailer in Australia.
www.billyhydemusic.com.au
About Stage Systems
Billy Hyde Stage Systems "Australia's Leading Backline Hire Company" has been supplying the backline requirements of the local and international music community in Australia and abroad for over 20 years.
About Musiclink
Music Link has been Australia's foremost distributor of musical instruments, audio technology products, drum and percussion products, DJ equipment, and sound reinforcement products, for over forty years. With an extensive sales, warehouse and distribution facility based in Melbourne, Australia; a team of sales representatives in all Australian capital cities; and a network of over 400 retailers around the country. Music Link's stable consists of over 40 world class brands and thousands of products catering to the music, audio, and recording industries.
www.musiclink.com.au
ALLANS MUSIC GROUP AUSTRALIA
Brackenbury acquired the Allans Music retail business from Roland Corporation and other private investors in November 2005. Today, Allans Music is Australia’s leading Music products retailer, operating seven large full line music stores with over 10,000 sqm of selling space located in capital cities four states and a rapidly growing on-line business. Allans also supports music educators with a dedicated National Education sales division.
Recognised as a leader in its market, Allans Music has been transformed under Brackenbury’s ownership and now features seven CBD and metropolitan based stores that are revolutionizing the music products scene. Allans Music has benefitted from significant investment in store refurbishment, management and staff development, systems and marketing which in turn have contributed to 15% CAGR over the 4 years.
A typical Allans Music store holds over 15,000 musical instruments and print music titles on range. All categories of instruments are featured, from guitars, band and orchestral, print music, drums and percussion, pianos, keyboards, accessories of all kinds and even the latest music technology and sound reinforcement.
With over 3.6 million customers per year, Allans caters for all music makers of all genres. Beginners as well as enthusiasts and professional musicians can find the latest and best instruments, advice and service at Allans.
www.allansmusic.com.au
GREAT BRITISH APPAREL
Great British Apparel (GBA) is Brackenbury’s most recent start up business, established in August 2009. Great British Apparel brings leading edge British Fashion Houses to Australian shores. The first brand to launch for this summer season is Peter Werth. With its roots in north east London Peter Werth first launched in 1975 starting off as a specialist in knitwear and then fast becoming a unique sharp contemporary menswear label. Now producing a comprehensive smart/casual collection that covers all product areas, footwear & accessories, the latest addition to the range is a super cut tailoring collection.
The Brackenbury vision is to create a collection of true global lifestyle apparel brands with clear attention to detail and distinctive signature that continues to grow from strength to strength - striving to inspire and deliver everything that the consumer requires.
- Start up target of $5m+ turn over by year 2.
BRACKENBURY SHARED SERVICES
In May 2002 Brackenbury Shared Services (BSS) was established to provide core systems and support services to Brackenbury Group companies. Based in Melbourne, the operation provides the following scope of support services:
- I.T. services – I.T. administration, outsourced management and environment control.
- Property Management – site acquisition and design & development, lease & license administration, repairs & maintenance.
- Finance function – cash management, asset management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, taxation, risk management. Management information and reporting.
- HR / Learning & development – recruitment, industrial relations, policy development and implementation, training.
The establishment of a shared services capability was crucial to capturing early efficiencies and installing a robust control environment for multiple businesses. All areas of support are scalable to support Brackenbury’s future acquisitions.
Shared Services enables Brackenbury to approach deals from a trade buyer versus financial buyer perspective as we are able to:
- Achieve early synergies from merged and acquired businesses
- Rapidly drive out duplicated costs
- Supplant tried and tested systems, control environment and processes
- Integration of operating and reporting systems
- Scalable resources to support merged businesses
Our experience in transitioning stores to Digicall Australia and the integration of Allans was fast and efficient. The businesses were readily and easily supported by the Brackenbury shared services infrastructure.
The shared services infrastructure allows us to develop channels quickly and seamlessly, leveraging our assets and applying concurrent work streams to take new products and services to the Australian market faster than our competitors.
Divested Businesses
DIGICALL AUSTRALIA
Brackenbury acquired and operated the retail assets of Digicall Australia from June 2002 until August 2009. In this seven year period Brackenbury transformed the Digicall retail network into a profitable efficient retail business that was the retail base for the growth of the Vodafone brand in Australia. Under the guidance of Brackenbury Directors, Digicall achieved:
- $150 m + turn over
- Opened 90+ Stores
- Employed 500+ Staff across all States
- Accounted for over 25% of connections to the Vodafone Network in Australia
In 2009 Brackenbury sold the Digicall operations to Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) to allow the newly merged entity to take direct responsibility for the management of all Vodafone-branded retail outlets. We are proud of the relationship built with Vodafone in recent years and the success we brought to the Vodafone brand.
RED MERCURY
Red Mercury was established by Brackenbury in early 2006 as a specialist Business to Business telecommunications sales company. Red Mercury partnered with Vodafone as an outsourced business direct sales partner for Vodafone. Red Mercury rapidly grew market share with the full support of Vodafone in the Small and Medium Enterprise and small corporate segments. At its peak, Red Mercury’s field sales team grew to 60 strong covering all major eastern States and South Australian markets, generating revenues in excess of $10 million.
Brackenbury sold its interests in Red Mercury to Management following the merger of Vodafone and Hutchison in Australia.