Emphasis on quality band saw blades through extensive Research and Development pays dividends 15 February 2012 In a competitive industry, competition is often so rife that many companies cannot remain sustainable. This is exacerbated by the ravages incurred by economic depressions such as the global one that started in 2009 and is currently still evident. The survivors of such events generally subscribe to a common business philosophy which incorporates quality product offerings and an emphasis on proactive and uncompromising customer service. First Cut, with an established history of providing local industry with superior international capital equipment and consumables, has proven its mettle and emerged as a worthy contender. “First Cut believes that there are three essential and interconnected elements in the successful business mix – products, employees and service,” says Gary Willis, Sales Director at First Cut. “The latter two are directly controlled by the company, since we are responsible for ensuring we secure the best possible intellectual property and experience quotient in the market, and that they are appropriately trained to service our valuable customers. “With regard to the products available to our customers, we have spent many years seeking out and acquiring distributorships for internationally renowned companies with offerings that will add to the productivity and profitability of our customers, while at the same time limiting maintenance requirements,” says Willis. One such supplier is German company Wikus which has produced band saw blades since 1958. “By offering a range of more than 1 400 product variants Wikus is leading the world metal cutting market and is Europe’s largest manufacturer of band saw blades,” says Fred Rijneveld, Global Sales Manager at Wikus. “In order to maintain our position, we invest a great deal in research and development, because cutting is both a science and philosophy for us. Wikus has a classic entrepreneurial and family history that began during the reconstruction period after World War 2, in Spangenberg Nort Hesse. Quality and service have been at the centre of the company’s focus ever since. With a clear vision the company has grown from a three-person business to a world market leader for precision saw blades, with 500 employees,” Rijneveld adds. Wikus specialises in bimetal bandsaw blades and tungsten carbide tipped blades for cutting steel from 20 mm mild steel round bar to 1 metre solid stainless steel billets in the engineering, mining, steel fabrication and steel merchant industries. “Up until 2002, the Wikus agency in southern Africa was held by Band Sawing Services. When First Cut acquired Band Sawing Services, we decided that this was a good match and decided to award the sole southern African agency for our products to First Cut,” says Rijneveld. Willis adds that the synergistic mix with First Cut’s range of products at the time allowed the company to increase its product offering to its existing and prospective customer base. “Very importantly, the business ethos of both Wikus and First Cut, which are centred on the provision of quality products and unparalleled customer service, are the same. “With the ongoing investment in product and technology research and development at Wikus, there is clearly a bright future for First Cut as a selected distributor of this high-quality and industry-recognised brand of blades in southern Africa,” Willis concludes. |
