Fabory: ‘I don’t have to explain any problem twice to Van Duuren’
Maurice Geerars, of Fabory, wholesale suppliers of fasteners, first met Stef Blommaart and Jeroen van Duuren in Prague during the Supply Chain Logistics Seminar. “I had a problem with transport to France. Stef and Jeroen immediately began thinking in solutions.”
The major proportion of Fabory’s turnover comes from the supply of fasteners such as nuts, bolts and screws. “Mainly to engineering and manufacturing companies,” Maurice Geerars confirms, “but we also supply customers that you are less likely to associate with this, such as theme park De Efteling. If a roller coaster or train is overhauled, then it’s our materials that are used.” France is one of the many countries in which Fabory is represented. Maurice Geerars: “We had received a lot of complaints from our French sales organization. For most of France we offered a 24-hour delivery service, but our previous haulier just couldn’t live up to it.”
Relaxed atmosphere
At the Supply Chain Logistics Center in Prague, Geerars discussed his problem with Jeroen van Duuren and Stef Blommaart. “I didn’t have to explain things twice, they understood straight away. After dinner we discussed things further in the bar. A relaxed atmosphere with a good glass of wine was actually the beginning of our successful collaboration.” As the result of tight and clever route planning Van Duuren can indeed deliver to Fabory’s French outlets in France within 24 hours. Stef Blommaart: “At 2.00 p.m. the lorry leaves Fabory in Tilburg and arrives at our depot in northern France at 6.00 p.m. Deliveries are made to a large part of France within 24 hours.” Delivery times for services to the south-west of France have also been speeded up through our direct line to Lyon. Jeroen van Duuren: “As a result we can also offer a better service to the major cities such as Nice and Marseille.”
On the ball
Maurice Geerars particularly appreciates the speed of reaction at Van Duuren. “If there is a problem, they are always open and honest in their communications and – more importantly – they do something about it.” Since the collaboration with Van Duuren, the number of complaints from Fabory’s outlets and service centres in France has been reduced drastically. But this customer satisfaction does not simply come about of its own accord, says Stef Blommaart. “Although the head office of Fabory is located in Tilburg, we have made direct contact with the service centres in France via conference calls. Furthermore, our French partner has visited all the service centres in order to come to good local agreements. As a logistic service supplier it is important to be on the ball.”