Jennifer Quail

COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. HoMedics' purchase of Taylor Precision Products last week helps the company burrow deeper into the wellness category and move into categories it had already been investigating.

"Obviously, from an expansion viewpoint, we're excited to be moving into new areas," said Paulette Abraham, director of marketing at HoMedics. "But we've always taken the approach that wellness is proactive, and if you look at scale growth, it's really moving into body-fat monitoring and that's definitely health and wellness."

She added that Taylor's food thermometers also incorporate health-related safety concerns, such as the prevention of deadly bacteria like salmonella, E. coli and listeria. According to Abraham, HoMedics had been investigating entering the scales category from the body-fat monitoring angle and when the company "crossed paths earlier this year [with Taylor] we realized it would be a good fit for us, and they realized we could help them take it to the next level."

HoMedics plans to operate Taylor as a wholly owned subsidiary and keep the Taylor brand name on the company's products because the "Taylor name is so strong in terms of precision and accuracy." Abraham said HoMedics also does not want "to dilute the focus on our areas or theirs." Taylor will continue operating and locally managing its headquarters office in Oakbrook, Ill., as well as its manufacturing facilities in La Cruces, N.M., and Juarez, Mexico.

Clay Farnsworth will also stay on at Taylor and head the subsidiary's operations, reporting directly to Alon Kaufman, HoMedics co-owner and executive vice president. Abraham said the company is "excited he's staying on. We realize his expertise in his industry."

The union has opened the door for shared technology that will first be put into play in the higher-end scale and monitoring category.

"I think what you'll see is a HoMedics line [of scales and body-fat monitors ] that will really channel differentiate and bring the Taylor technology into a new retail arena," said Abraham. "Taylor hasn't really gone after department or specialty stores, and we already have relationships with those retailers.

"With their technology expertise, it really launches us into a new area with a distinctive edge," she added. COPYRIGHT © 2002 Fairchild Publications, Inc.

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