Maintaining a competitive edge through comprehensive stockholding
Maintaining a competitive edge through comprehensive stockholding
Specialist drive engineering company SEW-EURODRIVE is able to ensure the most competitive turnaround times, while maintaining the highest levels of after-sales support, thanks to its comprehensive stockholding of accessories and spares.
SEW-EURODRIVE general manager of operations Raymond Obermeyer notes that stockholding and spares form an important part of the company’s business strategy.
“It contributes a significant amount to our business, as we pride ourselves on the ability to offer availability of spares and accessories as part of our after sales support on a 24/7 basis,” he states.
Obermeyer reveals that there is constant demand for accessories and spares, with some customers ordering critical spares ahead of time in order to have them available when they are needed.
There are numerous accessories that are available to customers through SEW-EURODRIVE, including; cooling systems, condition monitoring equipment, maintenance operating manuals, and selection and software design.
SEW-EURODRIVE boasts a stockholding of 80 percent of the stock items that the company sells at any given time. Obermeyer explains that if the required part is available from any of the company's five national branches, it can be delivered to the customer within 24 hours.
"If the spares or accessories are not locally available, we can source them from our global network within days. SEW-EURODRIVE keeps a large inventory of stock nationally, and therefore we are closer to the customer due to our branch network,” he continues.
Obermeyer admits that cost-based purchasing is a challenge in the local market. “As times are reasonably tough in the industry at the moment, businesses are generally purchasing systems that are cheapest at face value, without taking total cost of ownership into mind."
A knock-on effect of this trend is that the market is also expecting suppliers to provide longer warranty periods. Obermeyer continues: "Instead of the customer spending money on condition monitoring, the supplier is having to look after the equipment in the plants. This has led to SEW-EURODRIVE investing in a complete drive service (CDS), part of which forms condition monitoring.”
Obermeyer reveals that there are two types of customers in the local market, namely those who operate the equipment until it needs replacing, and those who make use of conditioning monitoring equipment and the benefits that it provides.
“There are several reasons for the different types of markets. Firstly, there is a lack of skills in the country, and people do not know how best to look after the equipment. Then there is the financial implications of maintaining equipment, as condition monitoring is expensive. However, investing in the maintenance of the equipment results in a better return on investment when focusing on the long-term,” he concludes.
Ends.
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