Zoombak forced to shut down UK operation

Zoombak, a company manufacturing GPS technology, has been forced to close down its UK business after launching into the market earlier this year. Its failure has been attributed to the global economic downturn.

The company creates portable GPS locators which can be used to locate missing pets, cars or enable parents to monitor the whereabouts of their children or elderly relatives.

European vice president Barry Wilson says: “When your product category is effectively a new market area, major investment is required to create and develop this market. At some point there has to be a return on that investment.

“Given these difficult trading times and low overall consumer confidence, it is almost certain that we will not be able to generate a return on the proposed UK investment within an acceptable timescale. We have therefore had to make the very difficult decision to withdraw from the UK consumer
market.”

Customers who have already purchased a Zoombak for use in the UK will be entitled to a full refund of the purchase price (£99.99 per unit), which will be provided directly by Zoombak.

Any service plan pre-payment will be refunded and credit cards will no longer be billed for any charges. Zoombak has notified all its UK customers of the situation, giving them a 30 day notice period.

Zoombak, a privately held subsidiary of Liberty Media, operates in the US.

It recently appointed Dawn Stockell (pictured) as senior marketing manager ahead of its official UK launch (MW September 18). She joined from Electrolux Major Appliances, where she spent over five years as brand and marketing manager.