Scomadi Update - All Change
There’s a new team at Scomadi UK. Stan discovered what that means for owners and dealers alike.
There’s a new team at Scomadi UK. Stan discovered what that means for owners and dealers alike.
Only a scooterist living in a cave without Wi-Fi can fail to have noticed the drama that’s recently afflicted Scomadi, but with the legal battle now finalised, Scomadi is free to pursue its own product lines. A significant development in the brand’s history is the departure of Scomadi’s innovators Frank Sanderson and Paul Melici from the UK distribution company. Whilst they’ll both remain actively involved in Scomadi Worldwide, handing over the reins of UK distribution
means they’re now able to devote their talents to product development.
Expanding to cope
Stepping up to the plate are the wellestablished team behind Preston-based Scootermoda, Spencer Coe, Nigel Godwin and Peter Reid. It was Peter who welcomed me to their new showroom on London Road, just outside Preston. “Frank and I have known one another since our teens,” he began. “At Scootermoda we’ve always been big supporters of both the brand and the people behind it. When the opportunity arose to take on the UK distribution franchise it was an offer too good to pass up.” As part of their business plan the team have moved their base to larger premises and, as Spencer explained, this will ensure the longevity of both Scootermoda and Scomadi UK. “Experience shows that it’s overhead costs that can catch distributors out. By putting both our brands under one roof we’re able to spread costs, but they’ll operate as separate businesses.”
Getting in order
The latter point is one that the team is keen to emphasise. “We’re determined that there’ll be transparency in everything we do,” said Nigel. “At Scootermoda we’ve worked with several distributors, and how they do business affects the experience of both dealers and customers alike.” When asked to clarify what he means, Nigel paused and then said: “Ordering a machine has sometimes been a leap of faith. It shouldn’t be like that. We’ll only distribute Scomadi so our attention isn’t spread across a number of competing brands. If a customer wants to buy a particular colour of Scomadi it shouldn’t be their job to track it down. We know where the stock is and if necessary should be able to arrange a transfer between shops. Likewise, dealers should be able to see what stock is on its way to the UK and when it’s likely to arrive. The ideal situation for us is to sell scooters whilst they’re in
transit. My background is in IT and I’m developing a system that will enable dealers to reserve an individual machine at the time they take a deposit. That includes Scootermoda, who’ll be in line with everyone else!”
As Peter explained, the team is already working closely with the dealer network. “We’ve had some really useful feedback from existing dealers and want to maintain that two-way communication. The main thing is that the dealers who join us share our passion for the brand. Scomadi is a machine built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts; the buying experience should be something special.”
Keeping things rolling
Looking around the new premises, there’s no sign of any spares holding, but when I ask Peter about them he smiles. “Owners shouldn’t worry. We’ve secured all the existing stock of spares, and once our warehouse has been shelved out the entire collection will be brought under one roof. We’re currently stocktaking and will be building up levels of key components very quickly. In the interim we have an arrangement with Scomadi Worldwide that any urgent orders will be airfreighted to us directly.”
As far as the future’s concerned the team is optimistic. “The TT is now arriving in numbers and is a superb machine,” said Nigel. “The front end has been re-designed with a revised pivot point for the shocks. They now run in line with the forks, rather than working against them. The result is a much smoother ride.” When asked about the 200, Peter uses it as an example of how the re-structure will benefit everyone involved with the Scomadi. “The current 200s are being imported in limited numbers as they’re only Euro 3 compliant, being registered under individual exemption certificates,” he explained. “Achieving Euro 4 status is simply a matter of re-designing the ABS pump to fit under the 200’s bodywork. Now that Frank and Paul have been freed from other distractions it should be a relatively straightforward matter to resolve.”
Legacy matters
We finished our mugs of tea whilst looking at the selection of models on display, and Peter fell uncharacteristically silent before saying: “There have been a lot of distractions over the past couple of years. For me, the saddest part of all is that we’ve lost sight of Frank and Paul’s original vision. They created the ‘retro scooter’ concept, which is now a worldwide phenomenon. The factory may be in Thailand, but it all started with transplants built in a Preston shed. The Scomadi story is one of British tenacity and engineering excellence. The brand was started by enthusiasts, it’s still owned by enthusiasts and we’re all proud to be a part of writing the next chapter in Scomadi’s history.”