In an increasingly competitive market, where every little detail has an impact on the ability to win business, the Galpeg Associates were recently invited by Mid Ocean Brands (MOB) to learn more about their range of products and services and to see their operation first hand.

After a day observing the huge operation in Poland, the Associates were better able to understand MOB’s claim to be possibly the largest one-stop shop within the European market.  The range and stock levels are impressive; something that has to be seen to be really appreciated. The huge investment that MOB have made in order to service the needs of their 8,000 distributor customers in Europe was evident everywhere.

Having a vast range of products does not guarantee a supplier success in this industry. Equally important is the stock availability, lead-time, printing options, product quality, quality control and customer service. To become an attractive proposition to their customers, MOB hashave addressed these key areas. According to Associate Daisy Downe of Daisy Chain Merchandise, “It really looks like MOB understand what we, as distributors need. My expectations have been exceeded on this visit and I believe they have a lot to offer when it comes to an effective supplier-distributor relationship.”

Of particular interest to the Galpeg Associates was the quick turnaround of orders up to 2,000 units. Haydn Willetts, the Regional Director of UK and Ireland, explained to the Associates that once artwork is approved for an order from any of 23,500 stock items, the order is printed and shipped within 24 hours. Standard delivery to the UK for orders less than ?750 is on a three-day service at a cost of ?15.  Above ?750, delivery is free.

The Galpeg Associates were impressed to hear the comment by Tomasz Zmuda, the head of printing at the factory: “From time to time, we can work miracles; everything else will take two days!”  This was backed up with the impressive fact that recently an order for 160,000 pens was printed and shipped out within 24 hours of artwork approval!

It became apparent to the Associates that efficiency was the key strength at MOB. Everything is planned to the last detail. The average unpacking, packing and print time of every product in their range is known, so that highly accurate lead times can be provided to their customers.

One of the most reassuring processes the Associates observed was quality control. On every order there are at least two checks – making sure the product is not only the correct item but is in good condition and printed to an acceptable standard. Lorraine Mollart of Saint Promotions said: “It’s refreshing to see a company that has such a great focus on quality control. They have filled me with confidence that my orders will be delivered as I expect”.

Alongside their efficient operations in Poland, MOB has some amazing online tools (E-Services), which really caught the eyes of the Galpeg Associates. With their database updated three times daily, every single product in their range can be stock checked at the click of a button.

Users of the E-Services can search a variety of options, such as colour, price, quantity, or a combination. For example, if a customer requires 30,000 products within seven days, in blue, with one colour print, at a maximum price of ?1.00 per unit, the system allows a search based on these criteria and shows immediately the available products that can fit the brief.

As well as live pricing and stock levels, every single product in the range can be mocked up with a customer’s logo at no extra charge. The Associates saw this as a great tool, allowing them to add that final personal touch to any quotations, without having to wait for the elusive proof before orders.

Galpeg Associate Richard Andrews of Promotional Works stated after the visit: “One of the most appealing things about doing business with Mid Ocean is that they have so much to offer, without the hefty price tags – they really are a good value supplier.”

It is fair to say that the Galpeg Associates were unsure what to expect from the visit to Poland and what they would see at MOB’s facility. However, all of the Associates were pleasantly surprised and highly confident that the efficient operations MOB have developed will play a key role in building their own businesses in the foreseeable future.

Published on: April 10th, 2014