A world first, the stricter regulations in the revised PPE directive (see box on the right) and in-depth insights into the ForSec brand – that was FAVORIT Partner conference in Munich in mid-June. The E/D/E distributor group had also invited key suppliers, and many constructive discussions rounded off the event.
Marco Spannagel, E/D/E Head of Occupational Safety and Technical Trade, was delighted that all of the FAVORIT Group’s suppliers had accepted the invitation. The eleven members of the group, which was founded in 2004, have a Germany-wide sales network with 28 locations, 250 occupational safety specialists and 120 sales representatives. FAVORIT relies on close cooperation with brand manufacturers and sustainable marketing activities. Spannagel: “I don’t know of any other group that is prepared to get so involved and contribute in these areas.” The success is impressive: The market trend last year was very positive and is continuing in 2017.
One important reason for this success story can be seen in the positioning of the FAVO-RIT trademark ForSec. Not only is the quality of the products right, but the marketing package surrounding them also fits and meets the expectations of the target groups. Marc Dittmar, himself a master optician and ForSec product manager: “Success on the market is growing continuously, because ForSec focuses on the needs of its customers.” One of these needs is high-quality information. Instead of flat advertising, ForSec focuses on specific content with added value. This content is conveyed in a variety of ways, and the expert reports in various specialist media are particularly well received. But ForSec does not leave its customers to fend for themselves locally either: a strong national network of sales representatives and cooperating opticians and acousticians make this possible. Customer advice and training for occupational physicians, occupational safety specialists and spectacle attendants in the customer target groups are standard.
Founded in 2013, the retail brand is already one of the top 3 brands in the eye protection sector. Retailers benefit not only from the strong marketing services, but also from the shortest delivery times currently available on the market. At 0.3 percent, the brand also has a very low complaint rate.
A particular highlight in Munich was the presentation of a world first: E/D/E MRO expert Frank Düringer presented a C-parts dispensing machine that sets new standards in the industry. It was developed on the basis of detailed requirement profiles formulated by the FAVORIT partners together with Achterberg, a Gladbeck-based company specializing in vending machines. An example of the efficiency: filling with work gloves takes at least 30 minutes for a few hundred pairs in conventional systems, usually using the carousel filling principle. The ingenious system of the FAVORIT solution allows 600 pairs of gloves to be filled in just ten minutes. Frank Düringer: “During development, we paid particular attention to the cost-effectiveness of the assembly and broke through several sound barriers with an innovative solution. This machine fits perfectly into our sophisticated portfolio and is currently only available from the FAVORIT Group.” Ulrich Mühlberger, Honeywell Safety, concludes: “This is the first vending machine that makes sense for our products.”
