Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Custom companies => Laver & Wood => Topic started by: potzy248 on October 20, 2016, 09:17:05 AM
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I'm pretty keen to get involved somehow.
Sounds interesting.
https://vimeo.com/187576230
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Did see this on FB, is this a similar thing to what Julian wanted to do with his but set the bar pretty high at $400k.
Seems a good step for them to crowdfund an expansion which means very low risk in terms of having to fund it.
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Slightly different to JM, as Julian was seeking money in exchange for products. I.E Invest $500AUD and you get a bat.
In this case you're investing for equity of Laver & Wood. I'm interested to see what valuation they're seeking, often equity crowdfunding valuations can be inflated
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Dear valued customer,
Firstly, we would like to sincerely thank you for your support of Laver & Wood by simply buying our product and believing in the unique service we provide. The time has come at Laver & Wood to take the next step in our long term growth strategy to become the world’s most prolific Handmade Cricket bat manufacturer.
We believe in a symbiotic relationship between Batsman and Bat Maker, as the premier custodian of this relationship – we view it as our duty to the Cricketing world to try and give this opportunity to as many batsman as possible. To do this we are offering our friends, families, customers and personal investors a chance to buy into Laver & Wood.
Please watch the video brief outlining why we are crowdfunding: https://vimeo.com/187576230 (https://vimeo.com/187576230)
On the 3rd of November 2016, we will be launching Crowdfunding campaign, where you will have the opportunity to invest in our business. After sixteen years of profitable trading and building a great reputation we believe there is a huge opportunity for our business to expand. We are seeking between NZ$250,000 and NZ$1,000,000 for between 5.8% and 20% of Laver & Wood’s equity. Minimum investment is NZ$500.
Full details of what is in it for you as an investor are being finalised and will become available prior to launch date.
To receive more information on the offering in the lead up to the 3rd of November, please sign up here: http://laverwood.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=80e2172b98c5af348f850df1f&id=827781bf87 (http://laverwood.us11.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=80e2172b98c5af348f850df1f&id=827781bf87) - Feel free to ask any specific questions you might have in the "Do you have any questions for us" field provided.
At Laver & Wood our philosophy is to put our customers and customer service first. We have grown our business based on the fantastic support of the people who use our bats and we seek to continue growing in the same manor.
If you are not in a position to invest yourself, but would still like to help, please share the video on your Facebook page or forward this email on to people you think would be interested in this rare investment opportunity.
Yours sincerely,
James Laver
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Interesting. Valuing the business at 3m GBP.
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Agreed @Tom
Seems an optimistic valuation.... Must be based on potential value!
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Usually, at least in the case of Seedrs, they should be releasing their Balance Sheet, Financials and Exit Strategy so I guess we'll be able to see why it's valued at that.
My gut says that cricket equipment isn't a viable financial investment, and is more a sentimental/vanity investment because you like the brand. L&W are probably in a good place to raise with a loyal Facebook fanbase, and an almost cult following.
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Agreed @Tom
Seems an optimistic valuation.... Must be based on potential value!
Finger in the air stuff trying to value a business based on potential value as I cant see anyone paying £3m for it if they put it up for sale tomorrow.
Sadly the cricket industry just doenst yield that kind of turnover each year even is you said you'd make £300k profit a year for 10 years.
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One of the biggest problems with valuing a business like L&W is that is is so key person dependant on James. If he got ill or wanted to leave the business, who can jumo in and buy it? I know he has a couple of apprentices but he is the guy with the reputation as a craftsman.
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To put into perspective just how bad an investment this would be, please read on;
If someone was to invest the minimum amount of 500 NZ dollars they would be looking at a 0.0116% share in the company (based off the 5.8% share for a 250,000 NZD investment valuation).
To get back the initial 500 dollar investment the company would need to make a total dividend payment to shareholders in excess of 4.3 million dollars (that's dividend payment, the net profit would need to exceed this quite substantially being realistic). And that's just to get back the initial investment...
If this isn't a valuation that's been plucked out of the air then I don't know what one is!
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It would be better I think if you got something for it like with the screaming cat one
you are never going to earn your money back in dividends from this so the value is owning a piece of laver and wood
Surely for anyone serious to invest they need a discount off future purchases or a bit of kit.
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Would people prefer that option in terms of getting something tangible?
E.G Pay £75 for a £175 RRP Helmet once launched if buying in at start-up phase.
Its something ive been considering to enable me to fast track the launch of a new range as its difficult to do as a 1 man company like L&W when it comes to keeping things moving forward. So interested in opinions?
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@Ayrtek Cricket Think that works well for new products, kickstarter has been very successful in this - although I'm not sure cricket will have the level of early adopters (outside this forum) to make masses of money this way.
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I'll work for you @Ayrtek Cricket .
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Would people prefer that option in terms of getting something tangible?
E.G Pay £75 for a £175 RRP Helmet once launched if buying in at start-up phase.
Its something ive been considering to enable me to fast track the launch of a new range as its difficult to do as a 1 man company like L&W when it comes to keeping things moving forward. So interested in opinions?
As others have said kickstarter could absolutly work for you along these lines... you even have a credible history of product launch, investment and development so in reality you could leverage that to prove its a low - ish risk of loss. Drones a re a great example of people speculating at a low price to get hold of a unit that then in reality never actually materialised.
Cricket will always have a limited market place but if your get your marketing channels right you could drive interested people to it. No idea what product development costs are for you but 100 people all speculating 75 quid is a quick 7.5k which would go along way to getting something launched while still ensuring a production cost was covered for the unit. The real issue is would anyone really envisage paying 175 for a cricket helmet or would they just assume an inflated RRP.... the incentive has to be genuine while still offering a saving.
If i saw a kickstarter for 30 on a helmet with an RRP of 80... i think it might prompt me to take a punt.
get the app and have a look.
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Thanks for the feedback all, sorry to have hi jacked the thread but was a point of interest for me as I'm now flying solo with the cricket side of the company so R&D investment is much harder to generate than previously with a board of shareholders.
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Thanks for the feedback all, sorry to have hi jacked the thread but was a point of interest for me as I'm now flying solo with the cricket side of the company so R&D investment is much harder to generate than previously with a board of shareholders.
For hijacking my thread you have to give me a 0.00000016 share in Ayrtek.
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Thanks for the feedback all, sorry to have hi jacked the thread but was a point of interest for me as I'm now flying solo with the cricket side of the company so R&D investment is much harder to generate than previously with a board of shareholders.
Did you buy it back?
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Yes 👍
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I am interested in investing in L&W but I see a couple of things that L&W should work on to make their business grow.
Most bats sell because of the way they look (stickers) and which players use them. L&W bats are not known by the general cricketing public, even in NZ. They are almost the Rolls Royce of Cricket bats in regards to quality and uniqueness. But IMO they need to improve their marketing especially on the international stage. Maybe look at sponsoring a couple of top pros.
Second, they should improve their model names. The Signature makes sense for the top willow. But I think people do get confused with Reserve, Reserve Ultra, Private Bin, Special Reserve and Legend. I prefer the ones Newberry or B3 use. It's simple and easy to understand.
End of the day, these are just my opinions.
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I just don't see the profit in cricket bats and gear for the effort and commitment needed
As a hobby/additional income yes, your never gonna earn huge profits from making and selling bats?
Dragons den would eat him alive for valuing his business at that?
Fair play to him for trying,and I hope he can grow the business
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It's a volume game, and exactly why I wanted to look at the helmet market rather than being just another brand in the Softs/bat world. I made the suggestion to CCC back in 2005 when they were trying to get a foothold in the cricket sector.
Even back then there were 30 odd brands doing pads/gloves + bats which led to a saturated market place all competing for the same customers....that was before access to manufacturers became a whole lot easier too and more and more smaller hobbyists started to appear who do it as a secondary income by importing goods.
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The other thing with cricket, is the marketplace needs to grow for sales to increase
The potential for participation in other countries is huge
I mean USA/Canada for instance,or in Europe, where soccer/football dominate
But this comes down to the availability of playing facilities /coaching etc and exposure to the game/marketing etc
It's turned into such a niche game now, which is a shame when you look at the interest in 2005
Times are changing and the sport needs to adapt to realise opportunities
Look at cycling in the uk now for instance.
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Yep a 30 over league on a Saturday is being trialled this year locally to try and increase participation and drag people back into the game who want to play but are limited with time.
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I just don't see the profit in cricket bats and gear for the effort and commitment needed
As a hobby/additional income yes, your never gonna earn huge profits from making and selling bats?
Dragons den would eat him alive for valuing his business at that?
Fair play to him for trying,and I hope he can grow the business
totally agree with this the biggest issue with the industry I find is there more and more selling yet the number of potential sales is slightly going down.
The industry is a competitive place and unless you offer something different /outstanding it not a easy place to make your mark.
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16 over midweek games?
The leagues oop north used to have huge participation , especially for people who wouldn't normally play Saturday cricket
We used to have company sponsors etc, a way of them getting exposure, and generating additional customers
I'm sure we had asda as a big sponsor one year, over twenty teams plus spectators, newspaper exposure etc
Just one small northern town
All those needed bats,softs etc
There used to be four sport shops within a mile radius
All gone now
But then look at cycling and that growth
The fitness/bodybuilding industry
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On the subject of buying business's, does anyone know if Jason sold Cricket Store Online?
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Had offers but think he's still running it but don't quote me on that
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With the bat and softs market, there isn't really much that is stunningly innovative and I;m not sure there really can be outside of Joker-style, Nemesis shapes or Turbo drilled holes.
Most softs are largely recognisable and repeated from brand to brand.
With so many 'bedroom' brands out there and smaller batmakers who actually make their own (and hurrah for them I say!), all we are really seeing is similar volume or declining volume being spread thinner and thinner across more and more brands.
Contentious statement, but the rising costs of bats (possible a mark-up issue?) prevents people - who aren't the nutters on here - purchasing 3 or 4 to try out.
I think Laver can only increase their market share with stronger branding and visible marketing, the business valuation seems a bit hefty for this crowded market-place!
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It would be better I think if you got something for it like with the screaming cat one
you are never going to earn your money back in dividends from this so the value is owning a piece of laver and wood
Surely for anyone serious to invest they need a discount off future purchases or a bit of kit.
I understand that those that invest will get discounts, with a bigger discount the more you put in. They are issuing more info on this next week.
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I understand that those that invest will get discounts, with a bigger discount the more you put in. They are issuing more info on this next week.
That makes sense. As a fan of L&W can understand why you'd invest, just to tell people you own a share and enjoy the discounts.
Savvy investors likely wouldn't touch the brand. You want a return on your investment, which means you need a scalable business model. There's not many businesses that are less scalable than hand crafted cricket bats made by 2 people from a finite resource.
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Some new info. I am intrigued, if only to get a share (very small I know) in a bat company.
Thanks for registering your interest in investing in Laver & Wood. Over the next fortnight, we’ll be providing more information about our campaign.
This first newsletter will cover the basics of the offer, respond to some of your questions, tell you how to register in the lead up to our launch, and invite you to our launch event.
The offer
We will be raising between NZD$250,000 and NZD$1,000,000 on a pre-money valuation of $4 million. This will be used to fund expansion, including increasing our product range, marketing spend, expanding our workshop and our staff. The minimum investment will be $500.
Full details will be available in our Information Memorandum released at the end of the week.
Your FAQs
What is the minimum subscription?
NZD$500.
What benefits to shareholders get?
In addition to equity in Laver & Wood and dividends if we are profitable, investors will be entitled to the following benefits.
$500 - Laver & Wood’s Cricket Bat Lore Ebook & free copies of future editions.
$1,000-$4,999 - One bat per year at 25% off our normal price, Laver & Wood’s Cricket Bat Lore Ebook & free copies of future editions
$5,000-$4,999 - One Free Private Bin Bat customised to your specifications. Two bats per year at 25% off our normal price. Laver & Wood’s Cricket Bat Lore Ebook & free copies of future editions
$50,000 & above - One Free Signature Bat customised to your specifications.Five bats per year at 25% of the normal price with Free Knocking In. Laver & Wood’s Cricket Bat Lore Ebook & free copies of future editions
What will you be using funds raised for?
Depending on the levels of funds raised we will be:
Increasing our marketing budget, especially our online marketing budget & implement customer relationship management software
Increasing our staff, with a new bat maker, new sales & marketing person and a logistics person required to help our expansion
Expand our product range to include soft goods, increased customisation of labels and expand our repair & refurbishments
Move to a larger factory and increase the number of workstations to allow us to increase production
When will you be releasing financials?
Financials will be released in our Information Memorandum which will be released at the end of this week.
How to register to invest
Before you invest through PledgeMe, you first have to register as an investor. You can do this by click on this link: https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/investor_registrations/new (https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/investor_registrations/new)
You’ll need to have your ID handy (passport or driver’s licence) and proof of address (a photo of your utility bill or the like).
Here are the step by step instructions: http://guide.pledgeme.co.nz/how-to-invest/ (http://guide.pledgeme.co.nz/how-to-invest/)
Can I invest if I am not in New Zealand?
This offer is for New Zealand residents, but if your local legislation allows you to take up the offer (and you are a wholesale investor) you should be able to.. You will be required to register here:
https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/investor_registrations/new (https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/investor_registrations/new)
Two thirds of the way down the page you will need to confirm that you are legally allowed to invest and a whole sale investor by clicking next to this criteria:
A "wholesale investor" within the meaning of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013
Please email info@laverwood.co.nz if you have any questions.
Will I be able to sell my shares?
Laver & Wood plans to run its own share book, a “matching service”, matching willing buyers and sellers of our shares. Shareholders can also seek buyers themselves. There are some restrictions on share transfers in the first 12 months after the investor shares are issued so there may be limits on our planned service during that time.
Our launch party
Laver & Wood Invitational XI vs Clifton County Cricket Club XI
We are holding our Crowdfunding Launch with our friends at Clifton County Cricket Club on the 3rd of November at Clifton’s ground. There will be a Twenty20 Match and a BBQ. Please let us know if you want to attend so we can arrange enough food for the BBQ.
4.30pm, Thursday 3rd November, Clifton Cricket Club.
Gordon Road, Te Awanga, Hawkes Bay.
Want to share the love?
We’d love it if you could share this opportunity with your crowd. Watch our video below, share it with some more like minded cricket fans, and help us fund our growth.
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Not sure about the "free" Signature after you invest $50K but ok... :D
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Anything less than a grand any you only get an ebook?
Not sure the 25% off is enough to convince me to part with any hard earned
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Not sure about investing but if happily send in a CV regarding th bat maker role 😉😉
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Interesting. Valuing the business at 3m GBP.
£3M - does anybody want to buy B3?? ;)
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Optomistic would be my opinion, they have their position as a boutique batmaker. The market isn't there for another big player, numbers are in decline, even NB with the players they have aren't setting the market alight.
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£3M - does anybody want to buy B3?? ;)
You'd be hard pressed to find a buyer at that price! ;)
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Bit of reading here for those interested.
http://www.laverwood.co.nz/images/teamfotos/IM.pdf (http://www.laverwood.co.nz/images/teamfotos/IM.pdf)
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Thanks for sharing @potzy248 - some very interesting reading in there, just reiterates how ludicrous the whole thing really is lol
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Thanks for sharing @potzy248 - some very interesting reading in there, just reiterates how ludicrous the whole thing really is lol
I work in financial services, and honestly don't think that document would be allowed by our compliance department! :-[
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I work in financial services, and honestly don't think that document would be allowed by our compliance department! :-[
Exactly my point lol, total poppycock!
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They're looking at an EBITDA multiple of 71?!
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I've also just found these beauties:
"Related Party Disclosures
James Laver currently has a negative shareholder current account
of about NZD 165,000."
I.e. James Laver wants his 165k back
"Cost Control
We have been paying approximately NZD 20,000 of interest per annum on
short term debt. Reducing this expensive debt will provide immediate
savings."
I.e. We have a shed load of debt that needs paying off, which is where the majority of your funds will go.
They made a net profit this year just shy of 40,000 NZD, yet value the company at over 4 million - imagine that being proposed on Dragons Den lol
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The worst bit is I would love to invest in an existing company like Laver etc, but a bit of realism needs to be injected first!
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Apparently James travelling annually to the US will increase their sales according to the PDF?
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Apparently James travelling annually to the US will increase their sales according to the PDF?
Read: "Your 'investment' will help pay for James' annual holiday"
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I've just read through the doc in full. It does seem a little to me that James is planning to leave the business and wants his money back before he does and that Laver are effectively raising the capital to cover this.
Crowdfunding is a great idea but at the values there is just no incentive for anybody to do it... Even as a emotional investment.
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I'It does seem a little to me that James is planning to leave the business
Seems that way, makes quite a few references to Toby taking over the full running of the company within 12 months
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A lot of speculation on here. I put the info up as I think it is very interesting and I do love Lavers.
Some of it does sound a "bit" embellished but good on them. If you don't ask you don't get. JM had no love for his idea either.
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With social media it is incredibly easy to market your brand
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Some of it does sound a "bit" embellished but good on them. If you don't ask you don't get.
There's embellishment, and then there's downright stupidity...
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There's embellishment, and then there's downright stupidity...
Harsh
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It's understandable that James is looking at exit strategies for his business. This is one option available, on the face of it it doesn't look like a viable investment.
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See they have 13% already after launching today
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So is there a date they have to reach a target by? And if that don't get the amount required do all investors get there money back?
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So is there a date they have to reach a target by? And if that don't get the amount required do all investors get there money back?
Yes they would.
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Harsh
Not at all, if I was to borrow 250 quid of your hard earned cash and pay you back about a tenner a year would you be happy? That's the reality...
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The question I have with crowdfunding is why couldn't they get investment in the normal ways?
Simple answer, because any genuine investors wouldn't value their company anywhere near 5 million NZD
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Usually an investor will want to see a return or profit
with crowd funding its about donating in a sense for a discount or freebie
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2 words - Shark Tank!
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After flying to 65k or so this seems to have pretty much stopped up at 71k, I guess the first offers were the rush of fanboys and the likes, but dosen't look like they'll get anywhere near their minimum of 250k.
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Any updates to this? Or has the funding been provided alternativel by James setting up branding factory in India?
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Any updates to this? Or has the funding been provided alternativel by James setting up branding factory in India?
james is doing what in india??
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james is doing what in india??
He's set up a "Laver and Wood" Distributing branch. Indian made bats under the approval of James and sold exclusively to the Indian market...so they say.
I think there was a topic about it on here.
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He's set up a "Laver and Wood" Distributing branch. Indian made bats under the approval of James and sold exclusively to the Indian market...so they say.
I think there was a topic about it on here.
cheers Potzy, I was aware he was there this year, but I didn't realise he going to get bats made there, IMO worst news I heard for a while