Clearview North July 2014 - Issue 152 | Page 74

When two make one – Carl F Groupco When two companies unite together to make their product offering more attractive to customers, it can sometimes take time for the dust to settle. Often customers see service levels dip, product lines made obsolete and the introduction of confusing new processes put in place. However, since holding company Tommico Limited announced the merger of Carl F Petersen and Groupco to become known as Carl F Groupco back in 2010 they have grown in strength and at this year’s FIT Show they proved that joining forces has made them one of the industry’s top hardware suppliers in the UK. Clearview met with John Crittenden, Managing Director of Carl F Groupco at the show to discuss how he felt the market had accepted the two companies’ merger and plans for the future. “Since the merger we have continued to work towards offering our customers the ultimate service, we are keenly focussed on our 98% first time and in full delivery policy and in turn we have seen a healthy upturn for our business year on year, almost 13% increase in turnover from last year’s figure.” Our Products “In terms of products we have been able to add extensively to our range, including own-brand lines and industry leading manufacturer’s lines including Cotswold, FUHR, Fullex, Greenwood, Hoppe, Kenrick, MACO, PN, Siegenia, Strand and Trojan, we now offer over 6,500 product lines covering door and 74 window hardware, ventilation systems, tools and consumables.” Carl F Groupco’s latest product launches including patio door hardware were showcased on their stand. Siegenia’s lift and slide, HS Portal hardware was another key feature – designed for its simplicity and sophistication, it enables the door to be operated with just one finger, making opening and closing the door effortless. In partnership with its supplier PN, the company has also developed reversible gearing to suit the new Eurocell Modus PVC system. In response to demand for a high-level security euro cylinder, the company also recently launched CFG3* Cylinder. The new cylinder was displayed on the stand with other security products supplied by Carl F Groupco and meets 3* accreditation for TS 007, the Kitemarked product achieves PAS 24 and is accredited by Secured by Design. The cylinder carries a full ten year warranty and features Anti-Drill, Snap, Plug, Pick and Bump. Our People “We continue to invest time and effort in our staff throughout the business, developing skills, encouraging empowerment and are pleased at the way we have maintained a very high calibre of staff throughout the years since the merger. “We believe it is necessary to update all staff with order and delivery statistics – this gives full visibility to the company’s daily targets. As a result, all our teams, including despatch staff are highly motivated and remain totally focused on clearing orders. There is also the added incentive of bacon butties at the end of each month for the whole company when we achieve our targets!” laughed John. Carl F Groupco employs 41 staff at their distribution centre at Peterborough including their sales, accounts, warehouse and despatch departments. A further three people are employed at their Scottish depot in Cumbernauld, allowing them to provide products across Scotland, the Highlands and Offshore Islands. Our Service “We have also continued to develop our processes, such as evolving our CRM system for enhanced customer communication. We are experiencing a trend of general increased demand from customers across our whole product range and it is encouraging that growth is being felt across the industry.” John continues. Carl F Groupco has recently invested a staggering £60k into developing a new IT portal for their website, which will enable customers to order online, gain traceability on their orders and deliveries. The new IT system is currently being trialled and Carl F Groupco has plans to launch sometime this autumn. Meeting with John and his staff on the stand and talking to them about the new services and products on offer, it was evident to see that the two individual companies that once were, no longer exist and united they will continue to evolve and grow into an even more exciting business. Tel: 01733 393330 Visit: www.carlfgroupco.co.uk