By Andrew Coulsen, CEO, Spandex Group
May 2023
Spandex’s leading reputation in the visual communications sector is built on specialist expertise and market knowledge developed over more than five decades of serving customers in this market. This means we can support our customers far beyond supplying a broad range of products within the tight timescales that are today’s business necessity.
And this expertise is just as fundamental in the Textile, Architectural and Automotive markets we’re actively growing into – which is why we’re shaping our senior management team to give specific focus to these sectors.
Recently, we announced that Alessandro Lanfranconi is leading our Textiles business. Now, our long-serving Spandex colleagues Christian Schindler, Michael Kist and Holger Geiser have moved into newly created Group Market Development roles for Décor & Interior Refresh, Automotive and Building Window Films respectively.
Christian, Michael and Holger bring many years of hands-on experience, specialist expertise and sector knowledge. They’re each dedicated to developing Spandex’s proposition for service providers in their specific market, nurturing market awareness and enlightening end customers about the creative and functional possibilities – as well as the commercial advantages – of using self-adhesive materials.
And they’re responsible for growing a network of sector specialists in every country where we have a direct sales presence, deepening our ability to give knowledgeable on-the-ground support to customers in these niche markets, including education and training on materials, application skills and approaches to business growth. In some markets these specialists are already in place; in others we’re actively searching for the right people to help us realise our vision.
Under Christian, Michael and Holger’s leadership, we’ll double down on our support for visual communications businesses who want to diversify into new applications areas with fresh commercial potential. That’s not a new mission. For years, we’ve helped sign-makers and graphic producers take advantage of digital textile printing developments to add soft signage to their repertoires, branch out from vehicle decals to full promotional and decorative wraps, and make the leap from POS to retail décor. With innovative products and dedicated support, we’ve guided many customers to tap into new revenue streams.
For Décor & Interior Refresh applications, our range now comprises a vast selection of products for wall and floor coverings, decorative window treatments, surface décor and three-dimensional wrapping.
In Building Window Films, we offer high-performance functional materials with security, solar protection and energy-saving properties, helping businesses and home-owners to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
Our Automotive customers can access printable and coloured self-adhesive films for promotional vehicle graphics, as well as a vast selection of colour change products and a growing assortment of functional paint protection films.
In each of these areas, customers can access a full spectrum of creative options and performance properties across a range of price points, enabling them to present tailored solutions to their buyers. But our ambition to be a trusted and inspirational partner to customers in these markets goes far beyond selling the right products. We’re continuously investing to ensure that our product ranges are backed by the best possible organisational infrastructure.
That doesn’t only mean world-class warehousing and logistics, because the businesses that buy from Spandex don’t only choose us for our delivery capability. They come because they know they’re just a ‘phone call away’ from a trusted, expert local support team who can guide them on choosing the right materials, talk them through a challenge during an installation, build their skills with targeted training, or help them pursue new business. We’re committed to being able to deliver that same level of grass-roots expertise in these developing sectors.
Our Spandex company strapline emphasises our role in ‘Inspiring Creativity’ with our customers, and that isn’t a superficial promise. In all our markets it’s built on technical competence, deep understanding of our customers’ businesses, a firm grasp on their buyers’ commercial and creative drivers, and a long-term strategic commitment to upskilling and guiding customers to uncover achievable, profitable growth opportunities
