H E A D O F I N D U S T R Y It was an even bigger feather in Sandvik New Zealand’s arm when the feedback he received offered superlatives including ‘fantastic people’ and ‘fantastic products’. “We are very customer orientated and I would like to live the brand,” says Mr Forsström. “If I don’t meet customers, and that is on a global level, meet employees and interact with the market after a while top management will lose the feel of what is really important to the customer.” Sandvik Coromant is a Swedish company that supplies cutting tools and services to the metal cutting industry. It is headquartered in Sandviken, Sweden and is selling into more than 150 markets with some 8,300 employees worldwide. The trip was part of a dedication to leading from the front, with visits to New Zealand and Australia allowing Mr Forsström to ‘walk the talk’ and keep absolutely informed of trends, perceptions and act on feedback. “New Zealand isn’t the biggest market we have, but it’s still very important,” says Mr Forsström, who adds that the visit is also to see a smaller market that Sandvik is operating extremely well in. Mr Forsström visited Christchurch and Auckland where he, “met some very, very impressive customers. A few of them are world leaders in their field”. He says Kiwis are providing certain products within their fields that not only rank high on the world’s stage but are highly innovative, “my reflection is that we are world leaders too, Sandvik Coromant, and how good world leaders fit together. We are about constantly helping customers improve their productivity. Helping our customers to become 20 May 2016 more profitable.” Mr Forsström worked his way up to the top spot from within the company and he’s proud to be associated with “the world leader” in its market. “What drives us, and what drives us to display this at all our locations, is constant innovation on the back of an intense customer focus,” he says. One such innovative product, of many on offer, is the unique eight-edged CoroTurn 300 insert, that, “really drives efficiency into the industry”. He says another advantage that the company has and is focussed on is improving the spread of knowledge digitally. “Our people wear the yellow coats for a reason… the yellow stands for knowledge and people know that if they see the coats, so we support that with knowledge at fingertips such as our apps and digital technology to solve customer’s problems, improving efficiencies. Customers are also making good use of the company’s vending solutions and improving inventory operations. “I think that New Zealand companies have realised that Sandvik Coromant has support functions in Asia, Europe, Americas; all providing service for New Zealand and it’s only a matter of accessing the network. If there is a problem that cannot be solved in New Zealand then there are channels throughout the world that can be accessed,” he says. The fleeting visit has left many Kiwi companies looking in Sandvik’s direction, excited at the many strings to the yellow bow of knowledge, innovation and product. Sandvik New Zealand Limited Phone 0800 800 922 GLOBAL VISIT OPENS OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIWI COMPANIES When global president, Klas Forsström, made his way to the New Zealand arm of operations, Sandvik New Zealand – one of 60 active sites on a global level - to have a “hands on” look at things and meet some of the company’s customers, it was a big deal.
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