American TV Opts To Leave NATM
By Alan Wolf -- TWICE, 1/9/2003
MADISON, WIS.— American TV & Appliance has withdrawn its membership from NATM Buying Corp. and will form a strategic alliance with former group member H.H. Gregg.
American, a 10-store CE, majap and furniture chain with locations in Wisconsin, northern Illinois, northwest Michigan and Iowa, will formally leave the group next week.
The departure represents the group's third loss since August.
Indeed, it was the departure of Indianapolis-based H.H. Gregg in September that prompted American to follow suit, said American senior VP Dave Shepard.
He noted that American shares the same business philosophy as Gregg, and that the two companies would work together on marketing, distribution, service and backroom issues as well as vendor relationships. He stressed that the dealers are not merging, and that there is no intention of forming a new buying group.
The departures of American, Gregg and, earlier, Sight 'n Sound, leaves NATM with eight members, including the returning Queen City TV & Appliance, which re-joined the group in November.
