GEORGE KOCH'S UK OFFICE RELOCATION BRINGS NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND GREATER EFFICIENCY
01/08/2018 George Koch Sons Europe
Process line specialist George Koch Sons Europe Ltd. has completed the relocation to brand new premises in a move that is set to both enhance its own internal operations and, importantly, improve services for the company's wide range of industrial customers.The company's new home at City House in the centre of Lichfield, replacing the previous premises on the edge of the city, has been selected to provide enhanced current facilities and opportunities for future growth, while taking full advantage of leading edge operational technology. Tom Mercer, General Manager, explains -
"The success that we have seen both in the UK and internationally - across Europe and, especially, in emerging markets such as India - has focused our recent attention on ensuring that the company is structured to accommodate growing customer requirements," he says. "Consequentially, we now have 30% more office space available - sufficient to enable further growth opportunities to be realised - but just as importantly, the move allowed us to structure our procedures to operate in the most efficient and up-to-date manner."
Apart from benefits such as hi-speed broadband, George Koch has upgraded all of its management systems, most notably those relating to project management and communication. For example, the latest Office 365 technology is now integrated with SharePoint which provides a mobile intelligent internet that optimises the sharing of drawings and project schedules.
Additionally, Dynamics NAV (Navision), the world-leading ERP system that connects finance, supply chain operations and sales, is now a central element in George Koch's operational procedures with significant benefits in terms of standardised costings and, more broadly, optimised use of project management time. VOIP phone systems, featuring a number of business-enhancing applications, represent a further development undertaken by the company as it focusses on the integration of a wide range of project and operational activities.
"We believe these steps will prove to be particularly significant as we develop further," continues Tom Mercer, "because they enhance our ability to connect with both suppliers and customers in the most technically advanced and efficient way. Clearly there were tangible benefits in physical terms with the move to the new location, but this coincidental step forward in technology reflects our belief that this was the ideal opportunity to make these important advancements. They are already proving beneficial in day-to-day liaison with both suppliers and customers."
The relocation will also enable the European arm of American manufacturer George Koch to bring together newly acquired elements of the company's global operation. The organisation has recently brought PriceWalgren and Jessup Engineering into its structure and all three operations will now be managed more effectively from the new premises. "This enhances our ability to supply a range of automated finishing systems - from liquid, powder coat and electro-coat to anodising, plating and handling systems - while building on our leading reputation for environmental improvement through better air, noise and water management," adds Tom Mercer.
"We believe this is an important step, particularly for our strategic customers who undertake multiple projects with our organisation. It will help us strengthen key supplier relationships while also, of course, helping us to attract and retain our high calibre workforce," continues Tom Mercer. "The programme has taken a high degree of planning over an extended period and we are delighted now to be able to bring clearly definable benefits to the fore as a direct result of this important relocation of our UK-based facility," he concludes.
For more information, please contact:
Tom Mercer
George Koch Sons Europe Ltd
Tel: 01543 444001
Email: tom.mercer@kocheurope.com
Web: www.kocheurope.com
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