Patrick Murfet moving on...................

[Murox]

This dropped into my inbox today. Does anyone know who or what S.Hagen is or represents?

A statement from Patrick Murfet...​

Well, at last....it has been a long while since I said it was about time I handed the Bee-Equipment baton to someone else. With the help of my excellent staff and customers, we have achieved a lot in the beekeeping world - some of it is popular, like new products and lower pricing, and some are less popular, depending on your view.

I would like to announce that Bee-Equipment has a new owner, and you will see some changes over the next couple of months. As of today, Bee Equipment will still be one of the market leaders in its field, but will be under new ownership, but don't worry; Bee Equipment's excellent team will not be changing.

The acquisition of my company Bee Equipment, does not affect my other interests, I love this industry and would hope to see you all in 2025 at The British Beekeeping Show, formerly BeeTradex. Please look out for the confirmation date in early 2024. I am also hoping to resurrect the Bees & Other Pollinators (BQ) magazine, that had proved so popular amongst readers.

I wish you all well for the future; happy beekeeping.

Patrick K Murfet



Dear Bee-equipment customers,

We are thrilled to announce that Bee-equipment has been acquired by our company. We are committed to continuing Bee-equipment's legacy of providing high-quality beekeeping supplies and excellent customer service, and will be keeping the brand name.

We will be making some subtle changes to the product range, introducing new products and enhancing our existing ones as well as dropping some items, look for bargains during the next few weeks. Our website will be revamped along with our Social Media channels and educational content. We will continue to value our exceptional customer service team, manufacturing facility, and warehouse staff, who will continue to provide you with the best possible service and products.

We are committed to serving all beekeepers, from hobbyists to professional bee farmers to associations, if you have any enquiries regarding products, please contact our sales team. Please note, all outstanding, pending and future orders will not be affected by the change of ownership.

We believe that every beekeeper deserves the same level of courtesy, respect, and quality products at affordable prices.

We will be running special offers and clearing out old stock over the next few weeks, so please stay tuned for more information. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected]

We look forward to serving you in the years to come.

New Year. New Bee Equipment. Same Team.

Sincerely, S Hagen​

 

[enrico]

This dropped into my inbox today. Does anyone know who or what S.Hagen is or represents?

A statement from Patrick Murfet...​

Well, at last....it has been a long while since I said it was about time I handed the Bee-Equipment baton to someone else. With the help of my excellent staff and customers, we have achieved a lot in the beekeeping world - some of it is popular, like new products and lower pricing, and some are less popular, depending on your view.

I would like to announce that Bee-Equipment has a new owner, and you will see some changes over the next couple of months. As of today, Bee Equipment will still be one of the market leaders in its field, but will be under new ownership, but don't worry; Bee Equipment's excellent team will not be changing.

The acquisition of my company Bee Equipment, does not affect my other interests, I love this industry and would hope to see you all in 2025 at The British Beekeeping Show, formerly BeeTradex. Please look out for the confirmation date in early 2024. I am also hoping to resurrect the Bees & Other Pollinators (BQ) magazine, that had proved so popular amongst readers.

I wish you all well for the future; happy beekeeping.

Patrick K Murfet



Dear Bee-equipment customers,

We are thrilled to announce that Bee-equipment has been acquired by our company. We are committed to continuing Bee-equipment's legacy of providing high-quality beekeeping supplies and excellent customer service, and will be keeping the brand name.

We will be making some subtle changes to the product range, introducing new products and enhancing our existing ones as well as dropping some items, look for bargains during the next few weeks. Our website will be revamped along with our Social Media channels and educational content. We will continue to value our exceptional customer service team, manufacturing facility, and warehouse staff, who will continue to provide you with the best possible service and products.

We are committed to serving all beekeepers, from hobbyists to professional bee farmers to associations, if you have any enquiries regarding products, please contact our sales team. Please note, all outstanding, pending and future orders will not be affected by the change of ownership.

We believe that every beekeeper deserves the same level of courtesy, respect, and quality products at affordable prices.

We will be running special offers and clearing out old stock over the next few weeks, so please stay tuned for more information. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected]

We look forward to serving you in the years to come.

New Year. New Bee Equipment. Same Team.

Sincerely, S Hagen​

No idea but got fed up of the daily bee equipment emails so unsubscribed

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This dropped into my inbox today. Does anyone know who or what S.Hagen is or represents?

sounds like just the next director brought in to front the same company

Stephanie Grafin Von Hagen

​

 

[Garry R]

No idea but got fed up of the daily bee equipment emails so unsubscribed

I unsubscribed but I still get them.

 

[Murox]

sounds like just the next director brought in to front the same company

Stephanie Grafin Von Hagen

​

OK, a titled lady to boot, interesting.

 

[Murox]

I unsubscribed but I still get them.

Yes me too. maybe it's a system bug.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

OK, a titled lady to boot, interesting.

looked on Companies House and there seems to be a nest of them with that name - some with Welsh first names!

 

[boywonder]

hope to see you all in 2025 at The British Beekeeping Show, formerly BeeTradex. Please look out for the confirmation date in early 2024.

Does anyone know why there is no show in the calendar for 2024? Obviously, the boycott by some big suppliers was then followed by the successful, inaugural launch of the Telford show, which looks like it's probably going to be even bigger this year. Difficult to see how Patrick can recover that. Good luck to him though. I was never personally a Bee Equipment fanboy, but he has certainly been a positive 'disruptor' in the segment.

 

[Mint Bee]

Date listed is 3rd February, but as its end of December and website is not yet live, cant see this happening.

https://www.instagram.com/britishbeekeepingshow/

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Does anyone know why there is no show in the calendar for 2024?

Date TBA apparently

 

[Dodge]

I have read the messages in the Bee Equipmment on their Web site and the message from the new owner makes me raise an eyebrow.

Who in this day and age signs off with "S Hagen". Surely a first name would be more sincere and and would seem less old fashioned. Got visions of a 80 something year old single bloke now running the business. Just does not promote the company in the right light of fresh new owners.

 

[pargyle]

I have read the messages in the Bee Equipmment on their Web site and the message from the new owner makes me raise an eyebrow.

Who in this day and age signs off with "S Hagen". Surely a first name would be more sincere and and would seem less old fashioned. Got visions of a 80 something year old single bloke now running the business. Just does not promote the company in the right light of fresh new owners.

S Hagen is a woman ...

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-hagen-6b966246/
History of entrepreneurship ... in a variety of trades. I've never been a fan of Bee Equipment but they appear to have survived in a shrinking, price conscious and largely oversubscribed market place. I would not have bought a bee supplies company at present - certalinly not at the price Patrick was asking - but perhaps I've missed an opportunity for Argyle Enterprises ? What do I know ? It will be interesting to see what direction the company now goes in .. tough times, I'd not like to see another Bee Supply house pack up, we've lost enough already.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Got visions of a 80 something year old single bloke now running the business

her names Stephanie, she's 55, although it seems, from a few entries on the Companies House website that she is struggling on how to spell her own name

 

[ericbeaumont]

Who in this day and age signs off with "S Hagen"

Fair point: it suggests corporate anonimity, empahisises the distance between customer and retailer, lacks warmth, doesn't enable the customer to write using the correct title, is lazy...

To get the best out of a colony a beekeeper should think like a bee, and to get the best out of a customer the retailer should act similarly.

 

[Dodge]

S Hagen is a woman ...

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-hagen-6b966246/

Gosh that's a weird linked in history. Mostly in the 3rd person and changing between completely different industries and parts of the world and eventually, lampshades and charity work and not updated to show Beekeeping.

Not sure how to take the "moving a family of 4 single handedly to a new culture". Surely a family is a team even if there are youngsters, all have to work together to make it successfully not just the matriache.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Dear Bee-equipment customers ... Bee-equipment has been acquired by our company ... committed to continuing Bee-equipment's legacy

Odd that S Hagen cannot yet spell correctly the name of the company she leads, a small lazy error that suggests a lack of consideration of the effect on the customer.

 

[rolande]

One thing I'm not quite sure about, may well have missed it, is whether the 'Value in beekeeping ' site has also changed hands.

Not over bothered about having a personal relationship with any equipment retailer that I haven't actually met. In fact I think there's probably some benefit in them not being too keen on pushing all this first name, I'm your mate stuff.

 

[pargyle]

Well .... let's give them a chance to get going and see what happens ... early days, with someone new at the helm they may turn into the best bee supply company in the UK....

 

[Blunt Spike]

I've received an email this morning from them. Looks like they're branching out, although a few thousand years too late. Apparently, they now stock mammoth hive kits, I guess you need a big garden.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One thing I'm not quite sure about, may well have missed it, is whether the 'Value in beekeeping ' site has also changed hands.

Patrick is still listed as sole director