Rossall: It's Survival of the Fittest

Gretsch-Unitas UK is predicting a tough year for the industry in 2008, as the UK economy struggles with market volatility and falling consumer confidence. But the Coventry-based firm is remaining upbeat about its chances of bucking the trend thanks to a combination of customer driven service and product innovation.

That's the view of new national sales manager Rob Rossall (pictured), who believes the company's foresight in committing to a winning mix of long-term strategy and recruiting some of the industry's best respected individuals will see it win through in 'a survival of the fittest'.

Rob is already a familiar face at Gretsch-Unitas having notched up more than thirteen years as area sales manager, stepping into his new post shortly before Christmas. That came about as part of a detailed restructuring designed to streamline the business in anticipation of the challenges ahead.

His experience - a total of more then 20 years in the industry - means Rob is well qualified when it comes to talking about the business and the changes it has experienced in recent times. And, perhaps most notably, that includes the arrival of managing director Paul Gerrard.

He said: ‘In the last twelve months or so there have been dramatic, but positive, changes. On the whole we have become far more focussed on customer needs. And everyone associated with the business now realises just how important service is.

‘That's a real testament to the work Paul has done, particularly in instilling a 'customer is king' mentality and ensuring that all areas of the business are properly geared up and resourced so as to focus whole-heartedly on the needs of both the customer and the industry.’

Rob continues: ‘Those changes are helping us across the board. We are not only interacting more with our distributors and customers, but internally too. Internal divisions have been removed allowing a greater flow of information and this is speeding things up and improving processes immensely. Customers are definitely feeling the benefit.’

Despite such internal positivity, externally the UK hardware industry is experiencing a tough start to the year with pressure being put on manufacturers to implement aggressive pricing strategies in a bid to keep their heads above water.

But Rob believes the emphasis on quality and customer service is the key to G-U's continued success in the face of the current economic climate.

‘Whenever the housing market begins to suffer the industry feels it. The knock on effects of rising house prices, increasing material costs and strong interest rates have put pressure on us just like they have any business. But ultimately we believe that by giving our customers exactly what they want, when they want it, we can make the most of the situation.

‘Cheaper imitation products from the Far East are beginning to flood the market but although they are very competitive on price, we remain confident that our dedication to quality will help us protect our market leading position.

‘After all, we are industry leaders because we supply quality products that people know they can trust. For example, we are the only manufacturer to offer a 25 year guarantee, and we do that because we believe in what we do. For us, that's what people really want when market conditions start to harden - top quality products with support to match at competitive prices.

‘Fortunately that's what G-U is all about, and we're probably better placed than anyone else in the indsutry to ensure we remain competitive thanks to the global reach of the company and the resources we have at our disposal.’

With a large number of subsidiary companies throughout the world, and a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Germany that boasts robotic casting lines and rapid adaptive tooling, Gretsch-Unitas is clearly well placed to stay one step ahead of its competitors.

Rob continues: ‘Product development is an ongoing cycle for us and we are always looking ahead to make sure that we meet the changing needs of our customers. We listen to our customers and what they want, and that's something we're more committed to than ever before.’

This has led to a number of new products being developed by the company, many of which are scheduled to be launched later this year. Whilst not giving away any secrets, Rob is sure the products will prove to be a big hit with customers.

He concludes: ‘I don't doubt that over the next twelve months we will see a downturn in the marketplace. It's going to be a tough year but I think there is a real opportunity for us if we can continue to get the right product to market and maintain service levels.’

‘I am confident that with our investment in customer service and product development, we will see a growth in our market share. As we are continuing to protect our core business areas and also making moves to actively attack new markets, we are in an ideal position to exploit the weaknesses of other industry players.

‘I believe that 2008 will be rich with opportunity for any organisation that is willing to adapt and innovate. Thankfully, G-U is in a strong position to do just that.’

Web: http://www.g-u.de