Hörmann UK has increased its number of service engineers by 100% over the last year as part of its commitment to provide both clients and non-clients with the highest standards in installation and aftersales care. With plans to continue recruitment in 2020, Phil Clark, Industrial Service Manager at Hörmann UK, shares his vision for the future and the importance of regular servicing for the industrial sector.
Throughout the first half of 2019, we have achieved a 15% increase in turnover and 30% growth on service contracts when compared to the previous year. This reflects our dedication to working closely with supply chain providers to ensure the safety, security and efficiency of their logistics operations at all times.
The launch of our new Training Academy at our headquarters in Coalville has been instrumental to this success. We currently offer three training sessions a month to professionals within the logistics sector on how to install and service our diverse industrial product portfolio.
For 2020, we have 16 training sessions arranged, each providing an in depth overview of the various industrial product types and how they should be correctly installed and maintained. It’s essential that all Hörmann products are fitted and serviced correctly and this is something we take extremely seriously as a business to ensure the safety and security of our clients.
As you will be well aware, manufacturing downtime caused by a machine fault or damage due to misuse or an accident can have significant implications for a business’ bottom line. Minimising the risk of damage to goods, and most importantly, reducing the risk of injury to employees and external staff, can initially be achieved through the installation of safe and innovative solutions. However, this must be supported through regular servicing by competent and accessible engineers.
Here at Hörmann UK we recommend all loading technology be serviced at least twice a year, or more frequently if it’s a high usage area. Our service engineers have 30-40 different areas they must analyse as part of the service procedure, to ensure every single aspect of the system is functioning correctly. These areas are regularly revised and updated to ensure the highest standard in safety is delivered.
Our team also provides relevant and up-to date information on how loading bay operations can be adapted to reduce the risk of downtime, workplace accidents or potential damage to goods. If there is a certain type of damage occurring frequently, the service engineers will suggest altering the system, such as changing the height or width of the loading area, to prevent this type of damage from happening in the future.
To ensure a warehouse can be back to full operations as quickly as possible, our service engineers must be reactive to changing client requirements; this could mean attending a property within two to four hours of a fault or accident initially occurring. Currently, 80% of our service engineers attend call outs to existing Hörmann UK clients, with the remaining 20% being national contracts.
Whilst the availability of our engineers is key, it must also be supported by a first time fix ratio where the servicing team keeps maintenance consumables on their van at all times. We advise that the warehousing site itself supports this by having a critical spares holding. This can significantly increase the responsiveness of the repair, as the most vital and cumbersome parts are already on site at the warehousing unit and do not have to be externally ordered in by the servicing department.
This is extremely useful for warehousing and distributors who frequently use the loading bay systems and need them working at full capacity as quickly as possible. As an OEM, we are able to offer competitive replacements for parts such as hydraulic pumps and operators, even if the loading bay system is not one of our own.
This year so far has been fantastic for the servicing department and we look forward to continued success for the Hörmann UK industrial department and its clients in 2020 and beyond.
For further information on Hörmann UK’s servicing department and loading technology, call 01530 516850 or visit: www.hormann.co.uk/industry-commerce-and-public-authorities/service.
Hörmann UK
t: 01530 516850
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