Global reputation as the leading specialist

60 percent of the orders received by Sleegers Technique BV come from North America , and customers from Australia, Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden and Thailand  have also tracked down the company to its headquarters in Nieuwkuijk. But what’s the best market approach when your clients are spread around the world?

Trade fairs and referrals

Huub Sleegers likes to exhibit at various trade fairs all over the world because they enable him to present his company to a lot of people in a short space of time. Customers also often find out about the Dutch machine builder through word of mouth. “For example, they contact us after hearing about us from one of our satisfied customers. We also work for bigger clients such as Danish Crown. That often gives other companies the confidence to ask us to build a particular machine for them.”

Cultural highlights

Because highly specific products are involved, Huub Sleegers takes his time to thoroughly understand all the customer’s needs. “I often visit the customer, or invite them to come and see us. I can show them various models in our showroom. In that case, we also take the opportunity to visit some of the local cultural highlights, or we’ll let them savour the delights of Bossche bollen (large profiteroles, Ed.) and sausage rolls in the city of Den Bosch. We like to make time for our customers. It’s good to get to know one another better on a personal level too.”

Training: in-house or in the Netherlands

Sleegers explains that there can often be pressure on a project. “We wait patiently until both sides are ready to make a decision.” Once that’s the case, the machine is designed, built and tested. Operators who will be working on the line can receive extensive training in Nieuwkuijk, or training can be provided in-house at the customer’s request. “You have to be flexible about that and adapt to what the customer wants,” states Sleegers. “If you excel at everything you do, then you’ll automatically become known as the leading specialist.”

www.sleegerstechnique.com