WCA September 2019

Industry news

40 years and counting…

FORT Wayne Wire Die is celebrating 40 years of sales in the European market. Due to an increased interest in its products, on 1 st April 1979 Fort Wayne, a producer of diamond wire drawing dies and tooling, opened its sales office in Europe, near Frankfurt airport, Germany. A German wholly owned subsidiary was established with the name Fortek GmbH. Initially, the office focused on Western Europe only and consisted of one salesman and one person in customer service. The company provided localised service to European customers – taking care of import procedures which were more complicated at the time, clearing the goods into the common market, and trans-shipping to the end customer. It would also invoice in the local currency, and provide localised inventory and general sales and support for the market. The strategy was successful and Fortek

❍ The Fortek team, from left, Hardy Buchfink, Iva Hristova, Jutta Raven and Alvaro Segovia

with a range of customers. The company has also found a number of good sales agents in important markets such as Poland, Turkey, the UK, Egypt, Serbia, Italy, Greece, Russia and Romania.

is now a major wire-drawing supplier within the European market. The territory has also been expanded to include the Middle East and North Africa. The team has grown to four seasoned professionals, between them speaking seven different languages, helping to communicate effectively

Fortek GmbH – Germany Website : www.fwwd.com

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2019