Added value, value-added sales and value-creating supplier are worn-out expressions that have largely been watered down. At Compotech we have a different philosophy: we want to be crystal clear about what we mean when we talk about added value. To make this clear we have defined six areas or stages at which we provide added value to your project.
Our main characteristics include technical expertise and long experience in the product sectors we work in, but also a unique experience of combining these product groups within the scope of the same project. For example, our technical sales personnel and application engineers in the motor department have around 70 years’ combined experience of selecting the right technology for your application, of dimensioning the motor according to the load and operating conditions, and of combining the right type of motor with the right type of gear and selecting the right digital motor controller to achieve effective results. But we don’t stop there: Our employees are trained in business skills, new technologies, new software, new products or new applications, either in-house, at one of our industry-leading manufacturing partners or at another training institution. The motor department is not unique in this respect. All our experienced teams working on sensors, magnetism, HMI or electronic components constantly seek to increase their knowledge of products, technologies and applications – something that we are happy to share! In short, we know our respective product sectors inside out so you don’t have to, leaving you to focus on your challenges.
70 per cent. This high level is the proportion of all the products we supply that are customised to the specific requirements of our customers. Often a standard product is, quite simply, not fit for purpose. This may be a matter of having a customised cable length, a special symbol on a pushbutton, a special encoder interface in a motor controller or a machined motor shaft. Thanks to experienced application engineers and a network of manufacturers and subcontractors, we can often develop and supply products in conjunction with our customer that are tailored to the applications, instead of the applications having to be adapted to the products. This gives our products added value.
It may be that customised standard components do not measure up either, even though we try to adapt wiring, a shaft or a mounting flange. Then instead we have to customise the entire product to the application. It is often a matter of finding the right manufacturing partner, based on the requirements of the application. Should the final product be made from plastic or metal? Which plastic? How can we optimise the production process by making small changes to the components? Which country and which manufacturer should production be moved to? These and many more besides are questions that our sales personnel, application engineers and purchasers work on daily in order to create unique products for our customers.
Some applications require such advanced subsystems that their development can only succeed by shifting the focus away from the customer’s core competencies. But allowing us to take on a significant part of the design engineering gives our customers more time to devote to their core business, regardless of whether this involves analysing drugs, converting infra-red radiation to clear and manageable information or efficient cargo handling. We have extensive experience of similar projects; for example, we have developed a moisture alarm for Tollco and a rugged joystick for DeLaval. In this way we make the final result worth more than the sum of its component parts.
However good your products are, they are no use stuck in a container vessel on the Pacific Ocean, when the customer’s production line needs components. In today’s global economy with the entire world as a trading centre, smart logistic solutions are required as is experience of which freight forwarders, method of transport and warehousing solutions provide the best balance between economy and security of supply, whilst keeping the environmental impact as low as possible. To maximise our logistics offering we have an efficient, world-class high-bay warehouse, located in Landvetter. Here we can pack up our customers’ products in kits, apply Kanban in order to deliver just in time, hold safety stock or pack in boxes as required by the customer, putting the customer’s part number on the package. Smart logistics that add more value!
Manufacturing in Asia, for example, is not a straightforward operation if you lack the experience and resources. Language difficulties, different attitudes to complaints and uncertain working conditions are just a few of the hundreds of aspects to bear in mind when choosing a manufacturer. We work on maintaining a personal relationship with our manufacturing partners and regularly meet our manufacturers in Europe, North America and Asia so that nothing will fall through the cracks, and also to gain a good understanding of their unique challenges and requirements. To ensure that our manufacturing partners meet our requirements for quality, traceability, acceptable working conditions and environment we follow a strict protocol. In Asia we also have a dedicated team working both from Stockholm and on site in China.
Because of these characteristics, the manufacturers we work with have chosen us as their sales organisation for Swedish and/or Nordic companies. We see this as a recognition of our expertise and value.