Bartering comes to Salisbury

The UK’s largest business-to-business trade exchange, Bartercard, has announced the launch of Bartercard Salisbury.

Geoff Shilton, a long-serving Bartercard employee who joined the trade exchange in 2000, will be leading the team with his partner, Deborah Merx, in this new endeavour to encourage businesses to maximise their spare capacity and discover the benefits of business bartering. Geoff will be responsible for growing the business right across Wiltshire as well as improving trading opportunities for new and existing members.

The Salisbury brokerage, which will open on March 2nd 2015, will enable local businesses to utilise their spare capacity and to source goods and services required to run or expand their business while protecting their cash reserves.

Thanks to significant growth in the region, the decision was made to open a local office rather than continue to offer support from its Bournemouth office.

Recent research undertaken by the company revealed the South West was the most active region for exchanging goods or services. The continued success and growth of bartering in the region is the result of a number of businesses seeking alternative sources of finance and ways to grow their networks during the economic downturn, as bank lending continues to fail to match rising business confidence.

Geoff Shilton, Director for Bartercard Salisbury, commented: “We are delighted to set up the latest Bartercard office in Salisbury to build awareness and opportunities for businesses in the area looking to barter. As a local to the area – where I both live and work – I feel that we’re in a unique position to understand the needs of the business community and we’re excited to move forward with this new endeavour to quickly establish Bartercard Salisbury as the most successful UK office.”

Geoff brings with him a wealth of experience and accolades having won over 40 awards including ‘Top performer World & UK sales’ as well as ‘Sales Manager of the Year’.

Barter trade has already accounted for more than £500 million in the UK and with the opening of the new office in Salisbury, this looks set to continue expanding in the near future. Bartercard UK sailed past the half-billion mark in late August 2014, when a motorhome rental company purchased a tank driving team building event marking the T£500 million bartered transaction.

The Salisbury operation is the latest part of Bartercard’s 10-year growth plan, which includes 30 new franchise and 10,000 members to help grow and facilitate trading across the UK and Ireland.

Bartercard UK CEO Phillip Cinigilio explains: “There’s a significant business case for bartering in the current climate, with banks not lending to small businesses and many firms watching their bank balances carefully. We’re delighted that Geoff has stepped up his role within the business to help build our presence in the UK and ensure future
SMEs in Salisbury can realise the benefits of bartering. It’s also extremely rewarding to know that one of our members is taking an extra step within the bartering community; Deborah Merx of House Clearance Group UK has agreed to take up the position of Brokerage Manager ”