Interview with Dominique Naturel, commercial Director of Arden Iberian Equipment

Subsidiary of Arden equipment in Spain, located in San Fernando de Henares (Madrid), works for almost three years at the service of all customers of demolition, excavation and recycling that require products and spare parts. On the occasion of her presence in Smopyc 2008, Interempresas interviewed the sales manager of Arden Equipment Iberian, Dominique Naturel, to talk about the background of the company.

Currently we have factories working in several countries in the world and subsidiaries for sale in Russia, Slovakia, Germany, Belgium, Spain and the power station in France, in the upper northeast corner. We are suppliers of almost everything that can be installed on the end of the rocker of a bulldozer, even the couplings and buckets. In the 1980s, there were only a saucepan or a hammer in a bulldozer. We now have the possibility of facilitating several teams for any machine. In our range, there are products simple, as the buckets, and complex, such as hammers and tweezers. Our desire is to always be in front at the technical level of and innovations. All our equipment we want to compensate for the rise of the copy, because there are many backup. At each show many clients come to see our news and we always have them available.

The result is that, by experience, to be always ahead innovate not is valued by customers who are not specialists. Demolition clip must be quality and resist wear and tear of other material, so it must withstand much more that a excavator. People want to buy and buy any product of normal use without thinking then the device must have high performance. In fact, we are the only ones we use steels with very high resistance to wear and elasticity. Worldwide calls for quality, but products without these requirements are then purchased. For example, we cannot accept that a stem can get out at the end of a clip that is stuck in a package of scrap. That is why, in our demolition, the hydraulic power is done through the stem, and what comes out is the 'body' of the cylinder. I have seen many clamps or demolition of the competition who have offshoots excelling, with which to enter the buildings rayan. For this reason, this manufacturing comes out cheaper. We have loyal to our customers for over 10 years. In fact, we have noticed that our customers make us the best advertising with his confidence, and that confirms us in our technical choices.

Dominique Naturel, at a time of the interview at the offices of Interempresas.

"Be always ahead innovating not is valued by customers non-specialists"

Our technical and industrial thinking sets us apart. The heads are engineers. The thought is different, we always thought about providing the best product, studying and making any news if the market so requires. Any new product need a year of studies and testing before you are in the market. To maintain a high level of quality and innovation we have to make double amount of production and use common components. We are lucky to sell on the world market and have a good reputation. We always innovate, we are looking for ease of use for the client.

After Smopyc 2005 we decided to introduce us in Spain. From Madrid manage nationwide distribution, administration, service after-sale, stockaje of products and spare parts. This location also allows the direct sale of our production in the downtown area. In this area, also carried out the sale to manufacturers or national importers of commodities as first equipment: buckets, quick hooks, Octopus and bi-valvas.

There are in fact very little repair. Many times when there is a problem can be mild, such as a hammer misaligned, or severe, when it is an accident. We have vans, workshops, own mechanics and our specialists, more a network of autonomous, to every day.

"Our customers make us the best advertising with confidence"

The mid-range of demolition, particularly equipment multifunctions of 2,000 kg as the 2000 CU and the shears of scrap AS 027 and AS 045. Hammer, is the model AB, 1852, to machines of 25 tons. The thickness of the market that sell more is used to equip machinery of between 20 and 30 tons. Also sell much the rapid hooks that allow not to move the Centre of gravity, and have high level of security with three locks of which two are automatic, and the third manual, serves only for the demolition.

Arden Equipment manufactures buckets, hammers and hooks for machinery for public works.

In the Spanish market, between 2003 and 2007, I estimate that we have multiplied by ten the number of sale, thanks in part to the introduction of the subsidiary. It was a good wave. In 2008, I believe that we will have to suffer a drop of approximately 30 per cent.

We have several new features to Smopyc. By volume, the most important is the Mini CU (350 CU) with two types of jaw: concrete and iron. The model 350 CU has a system of double axle articulation to concrete and simple axis for the iron.

In addition, the fair was present at 1300 with three types of jaw CU: concrete primary, secondary concrete and shear. It can be machines of 12 to 13 tons to enter buildings and narrow streets, either to place in steps of height.

Also present the recycling plant concrete crusher, and BBH 1300 models and the shear of 045 AS scrap to equip machines of more than 30 tons.

This year we had the stand badly placed in the sense that was capped by a dump trucks and other heavy stand, we were hidden. Many people looking for us and we found despite the bad location.

Smopyc 2005 we had a very well located space and made many new contacts that we found in step. In this edition was the other way around. We have had many visits from friends customers, 30 percent more on Smopyc 2005, but the people we had to search for. I am very happy that despite the location of the fair. Another thing of which we are proud is that in these two previous editions we have entered with force in the market of the hammer.

The 350 CU model, present in Smopyc 2008, stands out for its system of double axle articulation to concrete and simple axis for the iron.

The heart of the market is the apparatus of 2,000 to 2,800 kg and then sold exceptionally larger machines, but that corresponds to a global market because it sold little in each country. Elders are equipped with huge machines, but it is not for the use of the majority.

At the end of 2006, I said that we were going to have a drop, because that was not normal real estate level here in Spain, and that we should prepare ourselves in other markets. At that time, bet on the hammer and the quick coupling, while continuing to sell equipment in demolition and preparing other markets like recycling. Thanks to be world's manufacturer have the capacity to absorb movements in the market.

By experience, in the world of the machinery of the public works when the years are bad, it increases the market share of the best known and those who have the highest quality material. When there are good years everyone sells because of high-quality companies have an increase in delivery that makes us lose part of market share.

"Public works when there are bad years, increase the market share of the best known"