Sandvik Materials Technology is confirming and focusing its role as a stainless steel products distributor by opening a new European distribution centre at Venlo in The Netherlands. The 12,500-square-metre, purpose-built facility will be used to service distributors and end users in Benelux and Germany. It will supply Sandvik’s standard, commercial range of stainless steel tube, pipe, bar, hollow bar, fittings and flanges and a specialist range of electro-polished tubes and fittings. During a press conference at the Tube 2004 Exhibition in Düsseldorf, Mr Sune Eriksson, Sandvik Materials Technology’s European Sales and Marketing Director, said that this investment is one of the biggest in the sales and marketing organisation for many years. “It strengthens our role as a distributor and also supports our overall marketing strategy. Our supply of standard and special products to distributors and end users means that we can ensure a healthy product mix and a strong position in different market segments.” – The new centre is located in the south east of The Netherlands, close to the German border, and it is due to open and be fully operational by the end of Q2/2004. It is anticipated that the new distribution centre will replace Sandvik’s warehouses for stainless steel products in Schiedam, The Netherlands, and Düsseldorf, Germany. Alongside the new distribution centre in Venlo the distribution and services centres in Orleans (France), Halesowen (UK) and Milano (Italy) will keep serving the European marketplace. – When fully stocked, the new distribution centre in Venlo will carry more than 2000 different products in seamless and welded tube and pipe, bar and hollow bar and around 5000 fittings and flanges. A full material processing capability has been installed for cutting, marking and packing. Gerald Kreischer, European Sales and Marketing Manager for tubular products adds: “The new distribution centre will give our Benelux and German customers easy access to an extensive, stock product range, available in 24–48 hours when necessary – the original ‘one stop shopping’ on our customers’ doorstep. Most products will be of Sandvik origin. Complementary products from reputable suppliers will round off the product programme. As usual, the full technical support of Sandvik’s R & D will be available.”
