TCM forklifts has an easy and simple philosophy. To be easy and simple. That’s it. Forklifts do not need to be complicated and over engineered. That is why TCM believe in delivering reliable, economical and easily maintained products through its trusted network of specialised dealers – people who know their customers’ business and how to provide products and services that meet their needs.
It is why it offers a 3 year warranty for its European designed and built forklift range, with products to meet every task. It is also why it constructs its products on a common components platform which means parts are readily accessible and that over 90% of service calls are resolved on the first call. It’s all focused on being simple and efficient.
But simple values do not stop innovation. Finding solutions to meet changing market demands for more productivity and lower operating costs or technical improvements to improve safety, environmental performance or durability are all part of making things easier and more reliable.
As part of a strong global force, that has roots reaching back over half a century, TCM has some of the world’s best technical and development expertise together with industry leading product development.
And what makes this simple approach even for resounding is their exclusively dealer-led offer, which builds on this global strength then adds a local and personalised dimension, supported by a UK and Europebased infrastructure.
And as autonomous businesses, TCM dealers offer something extra and unique.
Essentially a best of both – a flexible approach to doing business, backed by the considerable corporate strengths of a global forklift truck manufacturer.
As independent businesses, dealers can make their own choices and decisions and offer a level of flexibility that often is outside the corporate boundaries of big organisations who simply cannot be as inventive. It means that customers get a more tailored service and experience ensuring that they get exactly what they need from a single source and trusted local business, but with the advantage of the additional capability and capacity at manufacturer level to provide extra support where necessary. In essence it’s a market offer that is truly, simply reliable.
Customers experience a highly responsive service
All of that matters when you operate a fast moving business that needs its materials handling capacity to be reliable and robust.
Having the support of a local dealer that knows your business and provides a level of service that embeds a high degree of trust and confidence is a major asset.
Kettler UK has a diverse product range that reaches from pedal go-karts to garden furniture to gym equipment and runs an extremely busy sales and distribution operation that is geared to respond to multiple seasons. From spring and summer demand for their garden furniture sets, to a Christmas season for ever popular gokarts and even a post new year peak for gym equipment as January resolutions mean more keep-fit intentions.
As a logistics operation Kettler UK claims to be best in class. That is what their customers say, so Operations Manager John Newburn and his team intend to remain a top performing business. It’s partly due to this highly responsive and customer focused approach that Kettler UK has enjoyed two successive years that measure the best in the company’s recent history.
Importing between 400 and 500 products from both the German Kettler parent manufacturer or from other sources worldwide, plus an extensive range of spare parts that are sourced and stocked ready to provide a 3-5 day delivery response, it’s an intense picking and distribution operation. To make things even more complicated, Kettler UK will deliver just about any size of Making simplicity and reliability the priority consignment from a single item order to large articulated loads. With over 300 delivery points across the entire UK and Ireland it is clear why customers love them for the level of responsiveness and reliability.
Responding to demand
As retailers and stockists carry smaller stocks, requiring all floor space to earn, meaning more sales display space and less inventory, requires distributors like Kettler UK to really be on their toes when orders arrive.
“We are always set-up to respond to demand. A warm spell in the spring or summer can result in a sudden and urgent demand for garden furniture,” explains John Newburn. Orders and deliveries will usually then be more frequent with demand for small consignments as retailers try to align stocks to meet fluctuating customer demand.”
At the heart of the warehouse operation is a small fleet of TCM forklifts, supplied and supported by locally based TCM dealer, Amvar Handling Solutions.
They have just added a 1.4T reach truck and a 2.0T electric counterbalanced forklift under a lease arrangement, which now form the frontline of their logistics process.
Amvar Handling Solutions play a key role in supporting the Kettler UK operation ensuring trucks provide maximum up-time and any failures or faults are corrected in the shortest possible period. The fact that they are local and have a good knowledge of Kettler UK’s business and seasonal demands means that they are geared to respond accordingly.
John Newburn is keen to work with local suppliers especially where this can be critical to business efficiency.
“We can’t afford downtime during our peak periods, but we know that we will get a priority call immediately there is a problem. Amvar has a longstanding relationship with us and will resolve things quickly,” he said.
“Without that level of service and back-up on our doorstep we would need to operate additional fork trucks to provide ourselves with the top-cover against breakdowns that otherwise would cause blockages in our system. We cannot afford to let our customers down.”
In effect the local dealer relationship provides a level of trust and confidence that allows Kettler UK to run a leaner materials handling fleet, saving cost and reducing complexity. Something else too – TCM forklifts are all built using a common components platform, which effectively means that breakdowns can be fixed at the first call out in over 90% of cases, bolstering confidence further.
Malcolm Mitchell, MD of Birmingham-based Amvar Handling Solutions (a TCM forklift dealership) is understandably an advocate of his locally-based and customer focused business model. “We combine a bestof- both, bolting a global, trusted brand like TCM forklifts to our own knowledge and experience of local business needs and demands, to offer a first-class local service. It’s very much personalised to suit each customer and reflects their individual business requirements,” he said.
TCM customers get more from a dealership relationship
The TCM business model is based on an exclusively dealer based offer, as Graham Jones, TCM’s Dealership Director explained.
“TCM is a strong global force, part of a major manufacturing business that has roots reaching back over half a century. It believes customers get more, based on an exclusively dealer-led offer.
With total UK coverage TCM has developed new ways to knit dealers closer together with some innovative reciprocal arrangements which means customers can experience a seamless service across the UK. Although our dealers are all independent businesses we have developed a sales and support procedure that allow dealers to share and support each other to deliver a consistent customer experience.”
The TCM product line-up also fits well with this ‘simple and reliable’ approach and route to market.
“Our forklift range has everything you need and expect in a well-specified truck, it is very safe and comfortable to drive and operators respond positively to its ergonomics and driver features.
It’s not built with complex features that most operations simply do not need. Instead we offer a truck that is a truly reliable, solidly build workhorse that will offer years of dependable service and backed by a 3 year warranty.”
Constructed using a common components platform means that spares and maintenance is more straightforward and economical and 90% of repairs fixed on the first call.
“We are very focused on developing the brand as a trusted European built product, supported by the strength and experience of a global manufacturer and with a very local flavour to the way we do business through our dealers who have the local insight and experience to give customers a personalised service.”
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