In today’s market in southern Africa, it is common that users look to the availability of a product that could solve an application, without thinking about any possible adverse effects that choice may have. When this product then gets used in the application, it can often reflect on the supplier as a product of inferior quality due to its limited life span. Coupled to this is an outcry for off-the-shelf solutions that will solve a problem immediately and not necessarily provide the best long-term benefit.
At Lapp Group, we consider all the requirements pertinent to both immediate and long-term needs to provide our clients with the best package that incorporates all the aspects of a connection solution. Through this service we have created strategic divisions within the group to cater for the needs of our clients on a global basis. Our understanding of the needs in the local market then enables us to pass on these benefits in the relevant context required.
Competence centres
Strategic divisions are not of any value without competence. Looking at global structure and technical ability, the Lapp Group has established specific competence centres in strategic locations around the world. To highlight a few of these, let us look related to industry sector and region. Oil and gas, a dominant part of the Lapp Group’s supply, is driven from a manufacturing facility in Italy that has more than 20 years’ experience in the field, tailored specifically to the needs of the oil, gas and petrochemical sectors. Specific standards and directives are driven through a dedicated website www.lappoilandgas.com that breaks the industry sector down further for on- and off-shore demands.
Other competence centres highlight special cables for production lines, nuclear, marine and many others. Here, once again, application specifics like exposure to the environment can have short- and long-term effects on the performance of the cable and connection. These are realised through a factory in France, under the Lapp Muller name, which focuses on specific solutions. Twenty-five years’ experience and direct contact between R&D and the OEM allows the solutions from this centre to evolve and continuously add value. Driving benefits through the standard products and custom solutions is not just a pipe dream, it can be realised in every application. For more, visit www.lappmuller.fr/en
Understanding these requirements in the context of a changing global market is still driven from the headquarters in Stuttgart by the Lapp family who holds the same values that founded the company in 1957. Through the last 54 years, the expertise and knowledge has been transferred into the group’s standard range of more than 40 000 branded line item solutions. Today, Lapp focuses not only on how the products can assist in an application, but also the ease and accessibility in the global marketplace. This is achieved through the product finder, which can pre-define possible solutions and provide users with a part number and detailed product specifics at the click of a button. Logistical solutions are provided to get these products to the markets which may have found them previously unobtainable.
Standards
Multinational companies often look at the standard within a market and try to adapt, creating a difference globally that often accepts the lesser standard. The Lapp Group seeks approvals that cater for all needs, understanding both the local and global forms. This gives the ability to be one of the few in the world to cater for all styles from VDE to IEEE and from Lloyds to SABS. Test laboratories give us the ability to give international approvals in all markets and assist with client-specific requirements in new applications. For more visit www.lappgroup.com
Localised expertise – product tick, price tick
For the African market, the Lapp Group has invested in a network infrastructure in South Africa to understand the needs of its clients and be able to cater for customer demands based on an understanding of each and every client. This is achieved through the support of a central operating system that starts when the client’s details are logged and creates a full historian of requirements. It links the client to products, prices and deliveries for stress free information flow and solutions. Lapp can provide information through to delivery traceability for client peace of mind not only on quality, but also on delivery. Lapp in southern Africa is responsible for markets as far afield as Kenya and Ghana and the system allows for quotation and direct delivery into these markets.
Conclusion
With its emphasis on products, logistics, competence centres and more, the goal of the Lapp Group is that consumers of cable and connection solutions should rest easy that no matter what their needs are, or where they may be situated, the group can supply traceable solutions for them into the future. To lead a market with world-class brands takes innovation in all areas of business, for this the Lapp Group offers the complete solution.
| Tel: | +27 11 201 3200 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.lappgroup.co.za |
| Articles: | More information and articles about LAPP Southern Africa |
© Technews Publishing (Pty) Ltd | All Rights Reserved
printer friendly version