Company News
Technical Services Are Fundamental to Providing Customers with Comprehensive Solutions
2024-10-25
01
The interview with Jin Zongqu, general manager of Ningbo Derek Tools Co., Ltd (Hereinafter referred to briefly as “Derek”), took place on the fourth day of CIMT2023. Hundreds of people visited Derek tools, including many foreigners, which made us believe that this is an international exhibition, and we are glad to see China’s tools go to a bigger international stage.
Mr.Jin said, “The name of ‘Derek’ was formally born in 2005, and firstly participated in CIMT in 2009. All the way, Derek have always focused on the development of overseas markets, and have a general agent in Russia, which often participates in the EMO in Germany. Derek tools have better quality, so that they can be tested by customers from home and abroad.”
Let one unit guide a whole area
From single tool to full tool program
In CIMT, the writer saw many Derek tools, including cold-pressing holders, high-pressure cooling Turning Tools and anti-vibration series. Mr.Jin said, “Derek focuses on the development and production of steel products, and has been extending and developing the old products to meet the increasing needs of customers.” Derek cold-pressing holders have always been well know for their strong clamping power. In the finishing situation, it ensures 3μ accuracy and produces better surfaces by its strong clamping power, which very suitable for efficient machining in the aerospace.
High-pressure cooling turning tool is born in accordance with the development trend of automation. Mr.Jin said, “An automated production line can’t be interrupted. What’s the core function of high-pressure cooling turning tool? That is strong chip breaker. Because its coolant hole is directly in the front of the tool tip, which increases brittleness and make chips don’t wrap around the workpiece. Therefore, if customers use Derek high-pressure cooling turning tool, there will be no frequent stoppage due to remove the chips during the machining process. At present, this product is widely used in the automated production of turning machining in the new energy.”
Anti-vibration series is a typical representative of Derek’s products. Mr.Jin said, “Compared with the well-known foreign brands, our products have improved by constantly testing tools and accumulating data. Over the years, the stability of anti-vibration tools have become better and better. The max radio of diameter to cutting length of boring and milling tools can be 12×D, and turning tools can be 14×D. These products have passed the market test and have been well approved by customers. In particular, it should be emphasized that Boring Tools represent the most excellent ability of steel products in some situations. Derek’s product development strategy is that, making boring tools as core to drive the development of the whole products system.”
Prioritize stability while pursuing progressTechnology is fundamental to the forward development of a business.
Can you share about market operation experience with us? Mr. Jin said, “ Firstly, stabilize the market and ensure that distributors only sell goods in their own area. Secondly, stable product quality, which is very important for domestic manufactures. We do not pursue a complete replacement of imported products or close to them, but firstly must be stable. Stable product quality makes distributors and customers more trust. Thirdly, provide technical services. When clients give us the workpieces and put forward their requirements, we will give them to clients after all the processing are completed. That is ‘Turnkey Projects’.”
In the past three years, both domestic and foreign markets have experienced difficulties, and rising costs will inevitably affect price competition. In this situation, Mr.Jin offers Derek’s response: “On the one hand, it is internal cost-cutting. For example, Derek uses new pressing system and sales management system to develop higher-end products. Relatively speaking, Derek is a brand. When there are two opposite possibilities in the market, we choose to develop upwards to a higher-end market. On the other hand, Derek focuses more on the products itself to improve the additional value of the product. Higher-end will also bring greater value to the brand.”
In the first quarter of 2023, Derek’s sales increased by 10%. Mr.Jin told the writer: “This achievement basically reached the expectation. In fact, Derek’s sales have been growing steadily in the past fewer years. When sales of a type are not good due to the changes in the market environment, we will quickly begin to develop another area. There is one thing for certain is that the shares of domestic tool producers in the local market are not large, and foreign brands still hold most of the market in the middle and high end. Derek will also develop this market, and this is also the only way for the future development of China’s cutting tool companies.”
Mr.Jin said, “In the next plan, because multi-sector development is inevitable, one of our goals is to gradually turn non-standard tools in a certain sector into standard tools. And more than that, it is to focus on technical services. Technical is fundamental.”