Q What brought about Wera’s decision to enter the U.S. marketplace?
A After reaching significant market presence in Europe, the next largest world market is North America, so it was a necessary next step to continue the company’s growth.
Q What has presented the biggest obstacle or challenge in breaking into this market as a whole?
A After coming from a position of tremendous brand recognition, it has been a difficult adjustment to have to “start from scratch” in this market.
Q What differentiates your hand tools from others currently available?
A Significant ergonomic benefits are the foundation of our differences, and we also offer many unique additional features (diamond-coating or laser-etching to eliminate camout / slippage, etc.) that solve specific problems in both manufacturing and maintenance applications.
Q What do you feel are the most significant things to consider when purchasing hand tools?
A It is more economical in the long run to buy the best tools possible for the job. It makes the work much easier, and usually faster, which results in cost-savings in the end. The reason there are so many different styles and features is because there are so many different applications to be considered. QFrom a manufacturing and operations perspective, what are your biggest challenges? How do you work to overcome them in order to stay competitive?
A To remain relevant to our end-user customers. To accomplish this goal, Wera constantly re-invests in product development, resulting in new products designed to solve the new challenges in the industrial markets.
Q What advice would you give your customers, as fellow manufacturers, to help them operate as efficiently as possible? (Other then buying lots of Wera tools.)
A Take advantage of the newest technologies available to work as efficiently as possible. This applies to the area of tool selection as well.
Q What are the biggest trends you see from a manufacturing perspective? And from your position as a hand tool supplier to the industrial marketplace?
A Currently, the biggest trend that we see in the manufacturing area is that the end-users are demanding better quality from the tools they are using in their operations, but without room for cost increases. This puts the challenge on us as a tool supplier to develop better products, more cost-efficiently, to remain as a viable competitor in the industrial markets.
For more information about the company and its products, visit www.weratools.com.