“Offer the greatest-possible integration”
More than 60 600 visitors and more than 1500 exhibitors from 41 countries came to Hanover: EuroBLECH impressively confirms its status as the leading international trade fair for sheet metal working technology. Also lined up at the start: Eckardt Umformtechnik. The centre of attraction was the new LBE brush system with its “inner power house” Wandres, which gained the approval of the numerous visitors to the stand – something that can also be said of our visibly rejuvenated trade fair stand that literally can be seen as a complete success.
A lubrication specialist showcasing cleaning technology? One or two of the visitors to the trade fair may well have been a little surprised – but the explanation is quite simple: “Processes across all facets of industrial production are increasingly becoming more closely intertwined. At the same time they need to be ever more flexible, because the requirements placed on the finished product with regard to functionality and availability are changing at an ever increasing pace,” says Michael Eckardt, Managing Director of Eckardt. “That is only a logical consequence, if we as manufacturers also offer the greatest possible integration and combine different process steps in our field of expertise in a manner that allows the customer to benefit from genuine value added.” The new brush system is itself the best example: it is not only possible to combine it seamlessly with an Eckardt spray system, but it can also be controlled by a single control unit from the manufacturer – a combination that met with the approval of visitors to the trade fair.
It also goes without saying that the full range of lubrication solutions was on show. The Bretten based manufacturer was there at the start displaying felt roller lubricators with roller diameters between 32-110 mm as well as its EOS series of spray systems. In addition, there was a lot of time available for information and discussions on the “hot” topics of process reliability, optimiz-ing maintenance and the previously mentioned flexibility in production processes.
A further trend became apparent at the EuroBLECH, including at the Eckardt stand: the growing international profile of the branch. 39% of the visitors and 54% of the manufacturers were from abroad. The number of visitors from Asian countries alone grew by 30% – markets in which Eckardt continues to meet with a particularly positive response. The willingness to invest in state-of-the-art production infrastructure in those markets remains high, because it is in-creasingly being recognized that it is only possible to survive in the global market in the long term with quality products. So it is against this background that we are preaching to the con-verted with our strategy of integrated, process-specific solutions, something that has been demonstrated so impressively by the many contacts made at the trade fair and in subsequent discussions,” summarizes Sales Manager Daniel Assmann. Eckardt also has other markets with huge potential in its sights in North and Central America, in particular because US-American car manufacturers are again investing more. “We also took these signals at the EuroBLECH to heart; they confirm our company’s focus, in particular with regard to the global automotive sector, means we are a very attractive partner.” Consequently, Eckardt will significantly strengthen is marketing activities in the stated markets and place even greater focus on regional characteristics.
The next EuroBLECH will be held again in 2018. In 2017 the branch will come together in Stuttgart at the Blechexpo from 7-10 November – Eckardt will be there!