Unlocking potential Aza Stenman Industries

UNLOCKING POTENTIAL

Manufacturer and supplier of hardware Axa Stenman Industries is proud to be ‘unlocking the future’ for its largely Europe-based customers. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to the product manager, Mark Grefhorst, to find out more.

The roots of the Netherlands-based hardware manufacturer and supplier Axa Stenman Industries reach back to 1902, with the company’s two complementary business areas of bicycle components and window and door components, both utilising its long-held expertise in metals and plastics. The two different business lines primarily operate separately, but they have the shared strength of the panEuropean production sites and the support functions of the Dutch head office.

Product manager for the bicycle components business, Mark Grefhorst, spoke to Industry Europe about how the company consistently delivers on its promise of ‘unlocking the future’. He said, “We are a Europe-based company that uses our European production facilities to produce some of the safest, most

secure locks for bicycles, doors and windows. With our two business areas relatively separate, there is certainly a common thread of high-quality European production and a focus on safety and security in everything we do.”

Cooperation is key

The two separate production lines both sell directly to manufacturers as well as to wholesalers to their respective retail markets. Mr Grefhorst continued, “Our customers are primarily manufacturers who use our products in their production. Axa Stenman is always investing in new and ongoing partnerships with our customers in order to maintain a very high level of cooperation with customers and suppliers. This is so important for our business, and it’s an area that is continually improving too. We are keen to understand how our customers’ businesses are changing and how Axa Stenman can help.”

A large operation, Axa Stenman has production sites in the Netherlands, France and Poland as well as several dedicated sales offices and agents in various countries including Germany, Poland and France. Mr Grefhorst added, “All our production sites enjoy state-ofthe-art equipment and machinery that allows us to develop and manufacture products of the highest quality, using predominately Europeanmade parts and materials. We are currently focused on maximising the efficiency of all our plants so that we can be sure that we are operating in the most effective way for a solid balance of cost and quality.”

The core products offered by Axa Stenman from its bicycle business area are locks, chain guards and dress guards and lights. For the window and door business area, its core products are hinges of various types and handles/openers for both professional and personal applications. The professional applications also include access management products for hospitals and schools, where Axa Stenman works with long-time partner ASSA on systems and solutions that meet the challenges of this sector.

Axa Stenman also works with a number of well-known partners and suppliers across both its product groups, with names including large-scale European manufacturers of cylinders and raw material suppliers of plastic and metals.

Growth and development

In terms of geographical footprint, the proudly European company Axa Stenman is actually growing both in Europe and beyond. Mr Grefhorst explained, “We are increasingly moving beyond European borders, which is exciting for us. We are of course keeping our dedication to production in Europe, as well as using almost all European parts, and we

are finding that this is appealing to customers outside Europe. With the guaranteed quality and performance of our products in both the bicycle and doors and windows business areas, customers certainly value and appreciate our dedication to delivering the highest quality in everything we do.”

Axa Stenman’s growth outside of Europe is largely concentrated in Asia, with Mr Grefhorst explaining that many of the world’s main bicycle manufacturers are relocating at least part of their production to this part of the world. He added, “We are very happy to follow our customers wherever they go in the world. We will always deliver our European quality components to anywhere in the world. In fact, we are continually looking for opportunities to expand and develop; while we do have a specific target market for new business, we are always open to opportunities.”

With Axa Stenman’s current core markets of Benelux, Germany and across eastern Europe all performing well, its open-mindedness towards new opportunities highlights how this ambitious company aims to grow in the coming years. Mr Grefhorst concluded, “We see our future growth as maintaining our excellent performance throughout Europe as well as making the most of the interesting and exciting opportunities we see in new markets, particularly in Asia. This organic expansion will be supported by our long-term appreciation of the importance of innovation; by continually innovating our existing products and staying close to our customers in order to develop new products, we are sure that our success story will continue.” n