#ETG #hardinge #ukmfg #engineering #britishmanufacturing #bridgeport #ukmanufacturing The Engineering Technology Group and Hardinge have signed a sales, service and customer support agreement for Hardinge and Bridgeport machine tools and work-holding equipment in the UK.
Hardinge will transfer its UK sales, service and customer support activities for these products to ETG Bridgeport — a dedicated subsidiary company for the Hardinge and Bridgeport products.
The move reflects the global strategy of Hardinge Inc to concentrate its activities on the development and manufacture of its product ranges. The current Hardinge UK personnel engaged in sales-related activities, including the seven-strong sales force, have transferred to ETG Bridgeport. Other personnel will move to the Group’s facilities in Southam and Coventry over the coming months.
ETG Bridgeport reflects the group’s philosophy, whereby each member of the group operates as an individual business — offering the in-depth product knowledge customers would expect from a specialist supplier — while benefitting from a core organisation that provides the central resources, expertise and services that a large company can provide. Furthermore, customers will also be able to access the ShopHardinge on-line store as normal.
The Engineering Technology Group’s dedicated sales team will be led by newly appointed sales director Martin Doyle. He said: “This is a very exciting and positive move for both Hardinge in the UK and the Engineering Technology Group. The whole focus at the group is on customer service, and we intend to offer our customer base a seamless transition to the new arrangement.”
John McTernan, managing director (European sales and marketing) for Hardinge Group, said: “The move to distribution for our direct customer sales and support activities has worked very well around the world and been instrumental in the Hardinge Group’s success in recent years. The strategy we are pursuing allows Hardinge to focus fully on its core activities of new-product development and manufacturing for its machine tool and work-holding ranges.”
Engineering Technology Group managing director John Temple, who recently completed a multi-million-pound management buy-out of the company, added: “We are delighted that a company with the global reputation and product range of Hardinge has chosen us as its partner. This new agreement with Hardinge considerably broadens the capabilities of the Group and expands it into new areas that have undoubted potential.”
ETG Bridgeport says the Jones & Shipman Hardinge grinding-machine activities do not come within the scope of this agreement and will continue as they are; neither will it take on the Biglia agency from Hardinge, although ETG will provide support for Biglia customers.
“This is good news for ETG customers, as we will be able to offer access to an even wider range of machine tools. The addition of Hardinge products to our portfolio is not intended as a replacement for any of our existing products, but an enhancement of our offerings to our expanded customer base,” concludes Mr Temple. The picture shows (left to right): Paul Rhodes (chairman ETG), John McTernan, John Temple and Martin Doyle.