BRANDS
Weldtite remains a major manufacturer of puncture repair kits
time) during the height of the pandemic, when it was really crazy, so I think we managed it quite well. “That’s been one of the trickiest parts of the last couple of years, as well as the price rises on raw materials, which have been really difficult this year. “Trying not to put that price on to
the end user is difficult, and we’ve managed to absorb a lot of costs internally here, and we’re going to
“There’s not many people that wake up in the morning and go ‘I’ve got to buy a bottle of bike cleaner today.’ They buy it while they’re in store fixing their bike, or buying a helmet. “So what we want to do is create interesting POS, that
draw people’s eye to the product so you can maximise revenue for bike shops, so that they can have a product on the shelf that’s enticing, that people know, and want to spend their money on.” During my tour of the Weldtite facilities, which
has recently been expanded to include new units in the industrial park, I saw the processes that go into each bottled product, from the closely monitored chemical storage, to the bottling and labelling processes, all carried out in house by the Weldtite team, who can quickly switch between product to keep up with demand.
Adapt and overcome Despite the opportunities posed by the coronavirus pandemic, Weldtite was another brand that felt the turbulence during the boom.
But amidst the chaos, the company managed to keep its lead times relatively short, hitting a maximum of five weeks for delivery during the toughest period. Buckle said: “It’s been crazy. It really is up and down. “It’s been so hard to predict the last few years and I think
everybody in the industry is in the same boat. “What has become apparent is due to long lead times on
certain items - mainly componentry on bikes - what that created is a massive panic to buy last year, and I think lots of people overbought at distributor level and retail level. “So that’s been difficult for us to manage this year, because obviously you base the next year on previous performances, so it’s been hard to manage stock. “The furthest we went up was about five weeks (lead
www.bikebiz.com continue to do that as best we can in the future.”
A sustainable future Sustainability has also been an increasing focus for the Weldtite team, who have been working to remove as much plastic as possible from its manufacturing, both in packaging and by recycling. Weldtite has also increased the amount of reground plastic used in its products, whether that’s by sourcing recycled plastic or taking its own waste plastic and putting that back into the system, having invested in the machinery that allows them to reuse it. Sourcing materials locally is also a key focus, reducing the carbon footprint associated with shipping products in. Leather said: “Everything we do in-house,
and everything we do with our chemist, is going through that process of making products
better, but also less harmful where necessary, and more sustainable as well. That’s really important for us, and we’re making sure we’re ahead of
the curve.” The future for Weldtite is a look across the seas, as the company hopes to continue its international expansion, in Latin America and in Southeast Asia, while also trying to navigate the ever deepening labyrinth of European business after leaving the EU. Leather said: “We’re making sure we partner with the right people in those regions, are developing those relationships to reach a whole new set of consumers.” Buckle added: “Long term partnerships are really important to us. If you look at a lot of our distributors, we have been working with them for a long time, so building long-term sustainable relationships with people is important. “We don’t see them as customers, it’s more of a partnership than a transactional relationship.” ●
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