Clearview National January 2020 - Issue 218 | Page 45

Hardware Extra
Incremental growth
and a focus on
customer benefits
» ROTO HAS HELD ITS 14TH
International Press Day in Bad Mergentheim,
Germany. Journalists were invited to the base
of the group’s Roof & Solar division for an
event that focused on customer benefits.
During a site tour, delegates saw the inside
of the Roto Product Innovation Centre, where
teams work on new projects and product
developments.
This was the first time Roto has presented
itself to the trade media since its new
business structure was implemented. There
are three divisional companies, each trading
independently and all under the umbrella of
Roto Frank Holdings AG.
The head of the holding company, Dr
Eckhard Keill, reported a combined group
turnover of €509 million for the first nine
months of 2019, 1% up on the previous year.
The projected annual turnover is €668 million.
Growth is below the target of 3 to 5% set last
year and Dr Keill said this was due to market
downturns attributable to political factors.
The Roto figurehead predicted tough global
economic conditions over the next year and
said the group would aim to counter this by
concentrating on its strengths, particularly
those customer benefits that set it apart from
competitors. He also talked about how Roto
continues the digitalisation of its processes in
order to gain efficiencies. The objective for 2020
will be to achieve single digit growth in turnover
and at the same time improve profitability.
Marcus Sander of the Window & Door
Technology division emphasised the customer
benefit angle, explaining how Roto would be
concentrating on products that meet client
needs. One such example is the growing
requirement for ease of use and accessibility
due to an ageing population.
Another area of focus was how Roto products
help windows and doors to cope with extreme
weather. Roto now claims further advantages
in this area because it provides weathersealing
products under the Deventer brand.
Sander said that Roto will continue to offer
hardware technology for both the smallest
and largest windows, and from affordable
mainstream products up to the higher end.
Product innovation director Hartmut
Schmidt explained how the new RotoSil Level 6
coating is being rolled out to the Roto product
range. The surface has a microcrystalline
structure and is designed to provide protection
to all components – including those subject
to mechanical stress – in extremes of climate
beyond the requirements of current standards.
Chrisian Faden, head of the recently-formed
Roto Frank Professional Service, announced
a new online spare parts finder, which Roto
claims is a first for the industry. The application
is designed to help customers find and order
any spare part up to 10 years old. An English
language version is due for future release.
The event concluded with a lively panel
discussion between Dr Keill and four leading
industry figures from across Europe. The topic
was the image of windows and their appeal to
consumers. The group agreed that the industry
should do more to improve the desirability
of windows and to work in a united way to
achieve this aim.
www.roto-frank.com
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