Utility Equipment, a U.K.-based distributor of access platforms and specialist cranes has launched a dedicated business, Uniquely Engineered Components Ltd., to handle all design, development and top tier sales activities for its UE Components brand of joystick controllers, control boxes and battery chargers. The move follows a successful first year during which UE Components entered the OEM arena as a joystick supplier for two established European access platform manufacturers, alongside the recruitment of three leading parts sales companies as local distributors.
“Restructuring ensures UE Components can dedicate investment and engineering resource to new product development, stockholding and, critically, the expansion of the distributor network with several territories still available,” said managing director Scott McCall. “It also allows the Utility Equipment Parts team to focus on product support and parts supply for the UK market across the brands we represent, including UE Components.”
UE Components has positioned itself in both the OE and replacement parts markets, appealing to manufacturers through a strong understanding of equipment and its use, while configuring after-market product from the OE range to ensure high levels of quality. “Operating in both sectors gives UE Components direct communication with service engineers to understand product issues in the field, with the opportunity to translate this information via product development back to design engineers at the equipment manufacturer,” said McCall.
This double-pronged approach also ensures that replacement parts are developed to solve issues with the OE component, rather than as a lower cost alternative. “Aftermarket parts supply is frequently debated across many industries,” McCall added. “Sadly some replacement parts are nothing more than low-cost copies; which gives the sector a bad name. Frustrating those that have worked hard to design and manufacture a quality machine, to then see it fitted with interior parts, and frustrating owners who have made significant investment in their equipment to see it fail due to low-cost parts.”
For more information, visit http://www.ue-components.com.
