Distributors capitalize on their regional presence to build bridges to markets and industries. They are close to the customer and ensure the availability of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST) products. They also offer expert consulting services. This means they have to be up-to-date on sealing technology. FST provides them with training, most recently to support activities in Scandinavia, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
“There’s a whole series of newcomers among our trade partners. We have to make sure that Freudenberg expertise is sustained in their companies and that they can continue to convince end-customers of the advantages of Freudenberg products. Beyond the pure transmission of knowledge, we want to arouse a passion for Freudenberg among our trade partners and keep the enthusiasm alive for our products,” said Christoph Palder, Director, Sales OEM Germany & Export. What was difficult during the pandemic is feasible again.
Peter Blatt, Team Leader, FST Academy, agrees. “Our sealing products are extremely high-performing and offer our customers added value. To sell value, our trade partners have to know what we can do, how our products differ from those of the competition, and why we are better.”
The seminars’ focus is always on building up current knowledge or integrating specific information to close gaps in expertise. With these goals in mind, the duo have held three training events for a range of commercial partners over the last few months.
A Radiamatic is installed
In the first case, three leading Freudenberg Preferred Partners (FPPs) from Scandinavia were hosted in Hamburg, Germany. The training venue, the Lead Center Heavy Duty, was selected deliberately. For one thing, the facility supplies its products to industries that are strong in Scandinavia, such as shipbuilding, mining and wind power; a plant tour was naturally on the agenda. For another, the distributors expressed the desire to train on the replacement of the Radiamatic seal. It cannot be installed intact as a spare part during operation – as it can with original equipment. A split version has to be fitted and joined on-site. There is, of course, a training video on this. But nothing beats practical experience.
In the in-person seminars, Academy trainer Blatt offered hands-on experience with materials and a range of seals: static, rotating (Simmerrings®), and hydraulic (Fluid Power). That was the case for ABES Technoseal in Johannesburg, South Africa. The FPP not only serves end-customers in its spare parts business – it also supplies FST parts to well-known companies in the original equipment category. Palder visited three of the end-customers – from the mining, water system, and agricultural/construction equipment sectors – parallel to the training sessions. “Together we were able to identify opportunities for improvement and initiate solutions. Furthermore, on these occasions, we developed the kind of personal relationships that have a positive effect on professional life,” he said.
Project inquiries as “reward”
Turkey, the scene of this year’s third training event, offers FST promising business opportunities, for example, in construction machinery applications. The country also serves as the gateway to the Middle East and North Africa, formally known as MENA. Accordingly, in addition to FST’s Turkish trade partners, there was one from the United Arab Emirates. “Sales Manager Gürkan Özgür superbly organized the event in Turkey. Since not all the participants spoke English, he even doubled as translator and interpreter,” Blatt said.
Palder also praised the hosts’ performance. “The support at our events was absolutely tremendous. At the Lead Center in Hamburg, an entire team of experts looked after the distributors.” The commitment paid off, Palder said. “We have already received several project inquiries from Scandinavia, South Africa and Turkey. Our efforts have borne fruit.” Or to put it another way, the know-how from the seminars and the resulting personal connections are strengthening and fueling relationships with trade partners and end-customers.
