19 Persistence, determination, and a commitment to client-centricity have characterised much of Eurospacers’ journey, allowing the company to achieve the impossible. Early on, the company was advised that the Netherlands was not a country to aspire to towards, as its industry was different and certainly had no interest in using plastic spacers. This was not the case for Eurospacers, as the company found success with an array of clients across the Netherlands that recognised the unrivalled benefits of its product line. Gerliko Wapeningsstaal is a company specialising in the supply and installation of reinforcing steel for foundations, walls, and all types of concrete floors with accessories. Based in the Netherlands, the company pours approximately three million square metres of concrete every year and is one of the single largest users that today uses Speedies® to space reinforcement mesh across its projects. This longstanding relationship between Gerliko and Eurospacers demonstrates that if a product is good enough, it will be used regardless of any market preconceptions that may exist. The European market is Eurospacers’ primary market, a landscape that must be continually monitored in order to succeed. Europe’s construction industry has seen significant challenges in recent years, including a decline in residential construction, a downturn in investment, and stagnation in the housing market. These developments have, at the same time, benefitted Eurospacers’ indirectly; such uncertainties have caused the market to become more mobile and open to innovations that can provide cost savings and competitive advantages – precisely what Speedies® promises, earning recognition as Most Revolutionary Reinforcement Spacer Product Range 2025. “Despite the difficult times, Eurospacers has thus been able to continue growing year after year,” Stefan concluded. “This is something that is also expected to continue, with new products in the pipeline. Eurospacers is constantly looking ahead, with thoughts on new products and solutions for our users, and 2025 is no different to other years. Our solutions are launched consistently, and there is still a lot for us to do in the coming years.” Contact: Stefan Andersson Company: Eurospacers AB Web Address: www.eurospacers.eu & www. speedies.eu spacers that break or tip onto their sides. With this in mind, the difficulty for Eurospacers lay in the problem requiring new thinking, a holistic approach, and the question of “how” being asked over and over again. Much was to be considered: how working time could be removed as a cost parameter; how to minimise the risk of collapsing spacers during work; how to minimise the risks of cracks or structural weak points in the concrete; how to make logistics efficient at all levels; how a reinforcement spacer can help to reduce the total cost of a building; and how can ergonomics be improved, with the risk of wear and tear being reduced. With a series of “how’s” as its starting point, it quickly became clear to Eurospacers that stackability and a design adapted for automation – or the possibility of both a manual and an automated work – were central to the solution. “That’s where the egg tray came to mind,” Stefan told us. “We thought, ‘Imagine if it were possible to make a plastic spacer using the same principle and strength as such a tray.’ The tray was, of course, not the answer to all questions, but it became the beginning of a thought process that led to Speedies® - today’s most cost-effective way of spacing reinforcement mesh in concrete construction. Through Eurospacers’ ‘how’ questions, a solution was presented that is now changing the industry’s very foundation.” This journey has not been without its challenges however, as Eurospacers has encountered a number of recurring difficulties as it introduces Speedies® to the global market. A significant obstacle in this area has been a disconnect between purchasing and sales departments, especially when introducing such an innovative range as Speedies®. While purchasing teams often follow established routines and lack exposure to new solutions, sales teams are better positioned to recognise market potential. This organisational inertia – sometimes influenced by hierarchy and internal politics – can delay product adoption and hinder distributor success. The second significant challenge has been scaling production to meet growing market demand. While selling the innovative product is quick and easy, expanding manufacturing capacity is much slower and requires significant time and resources. Existing machines are already occupied with current products, and the new products demand larger, more advanced equipment. With a three-to-six-month lead time for acquiring new moulds and machines, it is crucial that sales do not outpace production. Additionally, Eurospacers must create physical space for expansion while managing increased demand across its entire product range. “All of this has proven to be a balancing act and a challenge,” Stefan reflected. “It feels like we have done nothing but expand and move machines around for the past ten years, but it has been positive and fun!” When Eurospacers enters a project, it does so with a focus on friction at all levels. Problems, or unnecessary friction can be felt before the source of it has been identified and helps Eurospacers to find a lot of the soul of the client company. As friction can lead a company completely off course, and so Eurospacers works to minimise it as much as possible. It is a sensitivity that exists with the company which that leads it forward in its work. Only then does it see itself as a producing company. The minimisation of friction is largely about making processes run smoothly without delays or complications – the key to cutting costs. If one part of the system is inefficient, it impacts its performance of the whole. “There is, of course, also a great focus on the user and their daily work situation,” Stefan added. “Ultimately, they are the ones who will buy the final product. But to get there, Eurospacers collaborates with distributors – who have specific issues in their operations to be considered as well, that differ from the users’. Added to that focus is friction minimisation in Eurospacers’ own operations, and just as importantly, in the transport chain.” With a Speedies Dropstick, ergonomics are improved and working time is reduced by 75%
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