









The Comprehensive Role of Distributors
Moving forward, I will assume that a distributor is like Altus, one with a large team of industry experts to guide and support customers through pre-sales validation, implementation, and ongoing support of their processes. The distributor also offers value-added professional services to the market. Of course, not all distributors are created equal, and some will excel in different areas, but that is another topic.
A key benefit of distributors is their local presence, availability, cultural alignment, and use of the local language to communicate. This may seem mundane; however, not all suppliers have local partners. If you have purchased a machine made in China without a local partner, this point will resonate with you if you have ever had to fix a broken process with only a Chinese manual and an office open through the night local time. For serious manufacturers aiming for high uptime, a machine could be technologically head and shoulders above its peers but off the cards for investment if support is unavailable in their manufacturing country.
A significant value aspect is the support distributors can offer to de-risk a manufacturer's decision-making, offering pre-sales samples and process validation. They will offer not just a quote but a full project scope, guiding decision-makers through the considerations and pitfalls of the process, not just theoretically from a datasheet but from their real-life experience. They will also take real-world samples, run sample and process validation on their technology, offer hands-on live demonstrations, and support onsite process validations. A good distributor will have a showroom filled with technology and market knowledge. They will not rush for a purchase but rather explain the considerations and limitations so that the investment has as low a risk as possible for their manufacturing partner.
In addition to pre-sales value, there is also significant value in implementing the selected process into manufacturing. This could involve pre-preparation of the facility for the arrival of the process in terms of health and safety, logistics, services, and peripheral process impact. The distributor's role is to ensure that the process is implemented as easily and quickly as possible, including installation, training multiple stakeholders, programming, and an on-boarding plan. The better the distributor, the smoother the process and the quicker the manufacturer begins to see their return on investment.
Support for the ongoing process is vital. Local spares, available engineers for breakdown services, and routine preventative maintenance are crucial, especially when the machine's lifetime at your facility can range from 8 to 25+ years. High-quality support and aftercare determine the time a machine will perform optimally, so a thorough understanding of the machine and experience in maintaining the process is critical. This can be the difference between a machine barely returning on its investment and one that drives profitability into a site for decades.
Proactive Technology Promotion
Finally, the most significant value a distributor brings to keeping sites 'cutting edge' is proactively identifying the latest and greatest technology available globally and actively promoting it in their region and network. A distributor is only as good as their range of suppliers, so identifying the next market-disrupting process is paramount. The 'best' distributors will be approached by new technology suppliers or hunt out the best in the market, ensuring you hear about the latest technology before your competitors. These new processes might push manufacturing boundaries or offer huge cost savings, both of which can give a competitive advantage to the user. Distributors around the world are all looking for the next Koh Young, and given that suppliers impact on our business over the last decade, I can’t blame them 😉