Customer needs have always driven changes in manufacturing and industrial production.
Over two centuries ago, the first industrial revolution was a response to the rise of business, and growing trade. Back then, producers of goods had to devise systems and processes to meet rising demand.
Machines, operated by people, were the answer. Over time those machines and people have had to learn to work smarter, harder, and produce more.
When production lines fail, or break, they need to be fixed. Predictive maintenance and proactive service beats reactive service every time. Businesses, reputations and relationships are founded on reliability. That is as true today as it was back then.
Approaching 2020, and now well into the fourth industrial revolution, those fundamental principles have not changed. At the heart of it, customers today still worry about downtime. However, their needs and concerns have become many, complex and interrelated.
Quality, sustainability, regulatory compliance, health & safety, productivity, efficiency and cost are just some of the key considerations that you can add to the list.
To be honest, the business of industrial distribution has not kept pace with the fast changing needs of its customers. That’s not good enough; European industry deserves better.
In response, Rubix is disrupting the traditional ‘box moving’ business model of industrial distribution. As the leading European distributor of industrial products and services, it’s more than an ambition. It’s a responsibility.
We exist to keep the wheels of industry turning – right across Europe. That means we help our customers to keep the promises that they have made, whether it’s keeping the bread baking, putting planes in the sky or making people feel comfortable, safe and well.
Our 8,000 makers and doers bring specialist knowledge to our customers, helping to solve their manufacturing and processing problems.
We don’t just supply hundreds of thousands of products every year on time and in full around Europe. Our services address the long list of needs for any large, international manufacturing business. They are delivered by technical experts – boots on the ground, brains in the room.
We are disrupting European industrial distribution for the benefit of our customers, and for European industry at large.
And we’re not finished yet.
In a series of short articles, written by my colleagues, we will explore the key themes of industrial distribution, setting out what it really takes to keep the wheels of industry turning.
Martin Thomsen
Group CEO