Jubilee Clips launches European sales drive
The world’s oldest manufacturer of worm drive hose clips has embarked on a major offensive to win new business from Europe.
A team representing UK manufacturer Jubilee Clips will attend ‘Eisenwarenmesse – The International Hardware Fair’ in Cologne (4th-7th March), where they will present a top-quality product range backed by market-leading service levels.
Key to its new strategy is the appointment of Ingo Ingrillini as the company’s first European Sales Manager. Ingo worked previously in an administrative role for Jubilee Clips Deutschland GmbH but will now spearhead the drive to win new orders from Continental wholesalers and leading retail groups.
He will be joined on the Jubilee Clips stand at the hardware industry’s biggest showcase event by father-and-son team John and Ian Jennings, the company’s Joint Managing Directors, and by long-serving General Sales Manager Chris Bunting.
Jubilee Clips produces a comprehensive range of 600 mild steel zinc and stainless steel clips and clamps, which are used primarily by customers in the automotive, hydraulics and pneumatics, and marine sectors.
As well as standard worm drive clips, the line-up includes high torque, wingspade and multiband variants, pincer-fixed ‘O’ clips, Juniors (nut & bolt clamps) and Superclamps (heavy duty bolt clamps) – the latest addition to the line-up, a Superclamp in 304 grade stainless steel (which is priced between the mild steel and corrosion-resistant 316 grade stainless versions of the same product), has just been introduced in response to customer demand and will be on show in Cologne.
Based in Gillingham, Kent, Jubilee Clips employs a workforce of 130. Its parent company L Robinson & Co was founded by Commander Lumley Robinson RN – Ian Jennings’ great-grandfather – who took out the patent on his original worm drive hose clip in 1921; it is now widely acknowledged as a design classic.
“We are already a highly successful exporter,” explains Ian Jennings, “with half our annual production going to overseas markets. But at 16 per cent, the proportion that’s sold to Europe is relatively small.
“This is where we see an exciting opportunity to achieve new growth. Europe, and particularly Germany, is a massive potential market. The competition is fierce but with a premium range of products manufactured to all the appropriate UK and EU quality standards, and a customer-focused approach that’s underpinned by our family business ethos, we’re up for the challenge.”
Quality of design and manufacture, and of service in terms of stock availability and the general, ‘can do’ helpfulness of its staff, are the key attributes on which Jubilee Clips has built its reputation. While its products are always competitively priced, Ian Jennings acknowledges that cheaper alternatives can invariably be found.
“But buying on price alone is foolhardy in the extreme,” he continues. “Even the best hose clips and clamps are inexpensive when you consider the task they perform, and the potentially catastrophic consequences of a failure by a sub-standard item on what might be a very important and valuable piece of equipment.”
And he adds: “The International Hardware Fair represents an ideal platform to promote our company. We’re very much looking forward to renewing acquaintances with existing customers and to meeting potential new ones.”
For more information, visit jubileeclips.co.uk.
