The Locksmith Journal Sep-Oct 2013 - Issue 28 | Page 16

INDUSTRYNEWS SPONSORED BY ALDRIDGE SECURITY BUILDING BLOCKS TO SUCCESS With the UK seemingly on the right path to sustainable economic recovery, The Locksmith journal has linked up with Mul-T-Lock in a new comment column to review the opportunities ahead for locksmiths across the UK and Ireland. UK manufacturing is ‘booming again’ declared the BBC News on 2nd September 2013, with the sector seeing its strongest growth in activity for two and a half years in August. According to the latest Markit/CIPS purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the sector, the figure jumped to 57.2. (A figure above 50 indicates expansion.) This rise marks the fifth consecutive month of expansion and is the highest reading since February 2011 with output and new orders rising at their fastest rate for 19 years. Whilst the analysts have naturally welcomed the figures and the data undoubtedly supports growing optimism over prospects for the economy as a whole, the news will for locksmiths, still be received with caution. For Mul-T-Lock, the key to ensuring sustainable success in this climate is working together in partnership with our locksmith customers. After all, manufacturers can design and produce a wide range of products, but we need to think about how new products will fit with our customers’ skills sets and their customer bases. Mul-T-Lock maintains a flexible approach and ability to tailor our products and services and meet customer demands. At MLA Expo, we proved this, introducing products such as the intelligent KC5 semi-automatic key cutting machine and engraver that supports all Mul-T-Lock cylinder platforms to help our customers operate more efficiently and sell solutions. The new practical modular cylinder kit is another example that enables locksmiths to produce Euro profile offset cylinders on demand. Developed to enable quick assembly of Interactive, Interactive+, 16 THE SEP/OCT 2013 ISSUE SPONSORED BY ADVANCED KEYS MT5 and MT5+ systems, the kit allows cylinders to be produced in varying offsets up to a dual cylinder at 140mm overall length (70mm x 70mm.) Just these two examples show how we constantly strive to operate and adapt our style to suit the needs of our new and existing customers, not the other way around. And we are also open to feedback from our locksmith partners, to ensure we can grow together. But it is not just innovative products that will impress our customers or secure any level of recovery. The key to sustainable growth is maintaining and tightening relationships with customers, right from the initial enquiry through to project completion. We all know that we must be competitive to survive in today’s business environment, but the opportunities to work together with our partners, share ideas and invest in tried and tested, yet innovative product solutions are equally important for mutual benefit. And this is where we will continue to enhance our Combined Solutions initiative to offer to be an extension to any locksmith team. So our focus for the remainder of 2013 and into next year, will be not just to deliver op