Michael Keefe, chief executive officer of Hilco Merchant Resources, (HMR) announced the launch of Hilco Wholesale solutions, LLC (HWS) to provide structured disposition services for underperforming and excess consumer products inventory. Marc Caplan, a 20-plus year consumer inventory disposition veteran, has been named as President.
Consumer products inventory covers a broad range of asset classes, including apparel, footwear, toys and games, books, sporting goods, housewares, health and beauty products, grocery items and end of season merchandise from retailers.
Wholesale consumer products inventory is typically awaiting transfer from warehouses or distribution centers to stores or, in the case of online retailers, to customers. Wholesale inventory can also be situated in-transit from a manufacturer.
Generally, excess and underperforming consumer inventory is a byproduct of bankruptcies, business restructurings, mergers and acquisitions, order cancellations, manufacturer overruns, or product design changes.
HWS was formed to complement Hilco’s existing global valuation and disposition services platform for retailers. Hilco Merchant Resources provides in-store inventory monetization services. Hilco Real Estate delivers solutions to sell unwanted, owned properties and reduce a retailer’s leasehold costs. Hilco Receivables purchases and collects underperforming consumer accounts receivable portfolios. Hilco Appraisal Services is the world’s largest provider of tangible and intangible asset valuations for retailers.
“The addition of a wholesale consumer products inventory disposition practice enables Hilco to provide retailers, consumer products manufacturers and their professional advisors with a single-source solution for all inventory disposition requirements,” said Mike Keefe. He added, “Marc Caplan brings Hilco a wealth of retail consumer products expertise, experience, contacts and leadership qualities certain to foster success in this new venture.”
Prior to joining Hilco, Caplan was president and founder of Chicago-based Exit Trading, specialists in the acquisition and remarketing of soft goods. Mr. Caplan formed the company in 1993 and over the years built a profitable, international organization. Earlier, Mr. Caplan had been in sales management with several apparel manufacturers.
Commenting on his new role, Caplan said, “This is a great opportunity for me to join a global organization and offer best-in-class asset disposition capabilities to an under-served marketplace.” He added, “Regardless of the nature or location of unwanted consumer products inventory, the greatest sales challenge is to avoid channel conflict. Hilco Wholesale Solutions can leverage Hilco’s global disposition capabilities, infrastructure and expertise to ensure that assets are sold outside of a client’s existing sales channels. That’s an advantage only Hilco can offer retailers, their lenders and advisors.”
Based in Northbrook, IL, Hilco Merchant Resources provides high-yield analytical, operational, asset monetization, capital investment and advisory services to help retailers define and execute their strategic initiatives. Over the years, the company has disposed of assets valued in excess of $150 billion. Hilco Merchant Resources is part of Hilco Trading, LLC, a provider of asset valuation, acquisition, disposition and advisory services to an international marketplace through twenty specialized business units.