MLA EXPO PREVIEW
M.Marcus &
‘Strength in diversity’
» » AT THE PREMISES OF
architectural hardware and
security specialists, M. Marcus
Ltd, in Dudley, a diverse range
of products can be found
to suit todays architectural
hardware solutions.
The company’s commitment
to ISEO is clear. Over the past
five years it has expanded
its ISEO Security department
as well as developing a
standalone sales and support
offices for hardware, ISEO
Security products and Heritage
Electrical Accessories, as
part of its strategy to provide
support to its customers across
its entire range.
This was marked by the
recent appointment of a new
dedicated technical support
executive, Veeru Harrad.
He is the trouble shooter for
Veeru Harrad
the ISEO electronic security
division and provides support
and solutions advice to the
company’s customer segments
of ironmongers, locksmiths,
architects and fabricators.
Throughout the 70s and
80s, M. Marcus Ltd used its
strengths in the manufacturing
and distribution of heritage
hardware and electrical
accessories to grow the
business. But, in 1996, the
company formed a distribution
partnership with family-run
Italian manufacturer, ISEO, to
introduce the ISEO security
products brand to the UK,
setting a new agenda for the
company that would see it
diversify and ultimately lead to
the introduction of ISEO ZERO1
electronic security and access
control range to its portfolio,
giving M. Marcus a product
offering that encompasses
everything from the old to the
new.
M. Marcus Ltd was formed
in 1940 in Ironmongers Row,
London, selling cabinet
handles and general
ironmongery.
In 1962, the company was
purchased from the Marcus
family by Mr. V. N. Karnani;
whose sons, Mr. N. Karnani
and Mr. P. Karnani, still own
and run the company today.
Originally, the business was
run from an old brass foundry
in Lye, West Midlands, where
brass furniture was made
exclusively for M. Marcus
and would be shipped in
from Europe and the sub-
continent, then packaged and
distributed around the UK.
In the 80s, M. Marcus
bought units in Dudley,
previously belonging to an
upholstery factory to house
the company’s growing stock
that was predominantly sold
to house builders. In the
early days of the business, as
well as merchants and retail
brassware, the company added
Italian produced designer
levers to its range, due to its
customer base expanding
to include ironmongers,
specifiers, architects and
interior designers.
With the appetite for
architectural hardware as a
design feature continuing to
increase, further investment
in advanced manufacturing
machinery has been made
and all production is now
concerned with high quality
Neil Sheane-Smith
hot forged decorative brass
products across the range,
leading to the recent addition
of further finish choices (up to 9
finish options in some cases!).
A specialised cylinder
pinning department was
formed, where M. Marcus
could produce a full range
of master key suites. In
such a specialised industry,
staff retention is essential
to ensure a skilled and
knowledgeable team, and
the company has many
longstanding members of
staff, evidence of the family-
run mentality that remains at
the heart of its ethos today.
The locks team in particular
has since expanded to more
than a dozen specialist
individuals in recent years,
with the lead time for master
keying now at a 3-5-day
turnaround (even on high
security patent protected
ranges), with next day service
also, being an option, which
has proven to be a huge
selling point for the company.
OVER 75 YEARS OF FAMILY
MANUFACTURING AND DISTRIBUTION
1940
M.Marcus
Ltd formed in
Ironmongers Row
London Selling
Cabinet Handles
and general
ironmongery.
24
1962
M.Marcus Ltd purchased by Mr V.N.Karnani.
1975
M.Marcus Ltd grows and moves to new
premises in Attwood Street Lye, West
Midlands.
1978
Current Managing Director
Mr Narendra Karnani (son
of Mr V.N. Karnani) joins the
business. Heritage Brass
range of handles launched
and door furniture and
hardware range developed.
1982
Heritage
Electrical
Accessories
launched.
SEP/OCT 2019
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