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| Left to right – Peter Scheffers, Keith, Sean, Dale, Dennis, Peter Dekkers, Gary |
As part of the on-going exchange of information and practices with our friends at Jos America we recently sent over several of our people to acquire a flavour of the Dutch methodology. Reciprocal visits are planned to the UK for later this year where we hope to instil in the Dutch the underestimated value of repeated tea-breaks.
On this trip Sales Director Keith Malyon was joined by Sales Administrator Gary Lewis and Service Engineers Sean Mellows, Dale Sharp and Dennis Whitworth.
The wonders of modern air travel dictated that we took off at 7.00AM and within an hour we were met bleary eyed, at Eindhoven Airport by the annoyingly bright and bushy-tailed Peter Scheffers and Peter Dekkers from Jos America.
We were soon fed and watered and being shown around Jos’s impressive showroom, factory floor and offices. It was interesting to see the similarities as well as the distinct differences between our operation and theirs. Equally interesting was the difference in the customer requirements and expectations each of us deal with in our respective markets.
Historically, Continental shoe repairers have also produced high quality orthopaedic footwear at costs well in excess of that charged in the UK by our specialist orthopaedic suppliers. This business has enabled the repairers to invest heavily in state-of-the-art repair equipment featuring lower noise levels and improved vacuum dust extraction at a time when these considerations weren’t especially high on the list of priorities of the UK repairer.
Noise, dust and better work environments are now starting to become more of a concern in our domestic industry. The message Jos and Standard have been putting out about thinking of your health and the environment you are working in are becoming more and more relevant. The machinery Jos America have developed offer many solutions to those who seek them.
Our service engineers Sean, Dale and Dennis spent a couple of happy hours drooling over Jos’s machinery and cooing over their construction and innovations. They now have a much better appreciation of what the Jos America range can offer to the shoe repairers in the UK and are well placed to advise interested repairers.
All-in-all a successful and interesting trip and one which can only strengthen the ties between our two companies and greatly assist in our letting repairers in this country know what our friends in the Netherlands can offer.
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