Service beyond the call of pallets
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Giltspur seeks space in a crowded market by backing a new range of pallet containers, roll pallets and dairy containers. By Mike Rutherford
GILTSPUR International Packaging has launched a high quality and, it is claimed, competitively priced range of pallet containers, roll pallets and dairy containers into a competitive if not saturated market.
The Giltspur VS range was launched in April and — a little ambitiously perhaps — CM hoped to a talk to Giltspur about the new clients it has won since the launch and what they, the clients, feel are the advantages of the range. Until now though, there have been just two customers, St Ivel and Unigate.
The fact that Unigate is Giltspur's parent company and St Kiel part of Unigate, does not worry Giltspur Packaging's business analyst, Andrew Harding.
"Obviously, Unigate and St Kiel were our first area of marketing effort," he says.
But the company will be out selling in a determined effort to expand its sales (even Unigate and St lvel's orders have been "small"), according at Andrew.
Flexibility is the key word in the VS range with each product being geared to the actual needs of users. "We're not just selling pallets — we're providing a materials handling service," he says.
There are six types of pallet containers which are all collapsible.
Containers VS1 and VS2 are used where a flexible container system is required. Loading is possible from the long sides and the short sides of the container; VS3 and VS4 are used where the entire surface of the pallet is used (with modular units, etc.) The VS5 transport container is used mainly in connection with road or rail transport where the external dimensions of the Europallet must be observed. The VS6 corner tube container is the last of the pallet containers and is for effective and rational storing. The VS6 offers a large stocking height and can accommodate heavy loads.
Roll pallets TG 145 and SG 145 can be used internally and externally as a "rolling storage facility" while the smaller dairy con
tainers can be used for the distribution of products like butter and milk.
There is also a wide number oi accessories, including a steel pallet for use when veterinary regulations must be complied with.
The advantage of the range over others is price, quality and design, says Andrew Harding.
"These are the three selling points." Giltspur has not cut corners on market research and has been in touch with major potential users. They are not only impressed with the VS range but every possible doubt in their minds has been satisfied, says Andrew.
He does not accept that the market is already saturated following the company's extensive market research operation before entering the venture.
"A lot of manufacturers engage in nothing more than blacksmithing. Those companies eventually won't be able to compete. Quality products depend on investment", he claims.
I asked Andrew how serious the opposition to this new Giltspur venture is. He reckons that he knows the state of the market and has a good idea of rivals' market share. There are about nine or 10 companies with a real market share although a number of companies merely engage in "wire work", says Andrew. A more rationalised number of companies will emerge in the future, he claims.
The Giltspur VS range boasts proven products, it is claimed. The Danish manufacturer Variant Systemet has more than an 80 per cent share of its mestic market and therefore ; products are said to be tried Id tested before they arrive in ritain.
Andrew Harding reckons that, aspite the containers' high lefty, their prices are more an just competitive.
"We know we beat our rivals Ice-wise," says Andrew who aims that the products are, in edibly, up to half the price of lose offered by some rivals.
iltspur Packaging sells its pallet rntainers and roll containers at round £40. These can be ;Hausly compared with similar lodels of £80, claims Andrew though he is quick to point out at those £80 versions are often rastically discounted in price Ning to the fact that they are ver priced in the first instance. at is, I would guess, a claim at the rival companies will ave something to say about.
But what about those rivals? I sked Andrew Harding what he 'ought about Ross and BonnyIan, and Buko — two cornanies in the same market with, appears, much the same to ffer as Goltspur.
"Ross and Bonnyman? We now we compete with them be ause they've sold to Unigate in le past. Buko has a large sales )rce and again, we know we an compete."
Giltspur has a structured price at but prices depend greatly on uantities purchased. Returning ) the versatility theme, Andrew ays that there are a number of satures that can be added to lasic models which obviously Iters the price. There is flexibily in all designs geared to the lead of the users, he says.
As for other manufacturers' specials," he is not impressed. "Specials often mean experiments."
Although Giltspur is not planning to specifically push any one product in the VS range (there is room for all of them, it thinks), the roll pallet may be the most popular and is indeed the container that Unigate and St Ivel has opted for. They can be stacked in pairs or in groups of 15, occupying the space of just two containers.
The pallet containers are also expected to be popular with a number of combinations being available — completely open, closed or semi-closed. Like the roll containers, they are all collapsible.
Giltspur is currently only offering the "luxury" model dairy container at about £57. Again, they are flexible, collapsible and offer the maximum strength from the minimum amount of material used, claims Andrew Harding.
Safety and health is another factor to consider with the Giltspur VS range, he says.
Better products, at the right price, with good quality and design says Giltspur.
Who knows?