Bolt and Engineering Distributors Group learns the ‘nuts and bolts’ of SKF products at training day
As one of the largest SKF authorised distributors, Bolt and Engineering Distributors Group (B.E.D.) understands the vital importance of having a comprehensive and intricate understanding of their long-standing supplier SKF’s world-class agri-bearing and bearing products.
This imperative was the motivation behind a sales training day for the B.E.D. sales team that was held recently at the new SKF premises in Jet Park, Boksburg. Twenty-four members from the B.E.D. team attended the training day, in order to allow them to interact with the SKF product managers and learn more about the company’s extensive and high-quality product range and capabilities.
During the visit, the B.E.D. sales team visited the SKF warehouse, where they viewed the bearing remanufacturing division, where SKF produces machined seals, as well as the supplier’s training centre.
“Numerous products were showcased at various stations, with each of these featuring a product manager or expert who offered valuable information and advice about SKF products,” notes B.E.D. Group Bearing Division Administrator Hein van Jaarsveld.
“We had the opportunity to interact with the SKF product managers for Power Transmission products, the SKF Maintenance Product range – where products are applied in monitoring and instrumentation – as well as how to use the SKF Authenticate application, which assists SKF customers in identifying imitation products. In addition to the above, SKF also demonstrated their bearing re-manufacturing capabilities, what their services team had to offer, and the lubrication product range from Lincoln.”
Objective
Van Jaarsveld notes that the ultimate objective behind the training day was to strengthen the relationship between the SKF and BED teams, as well as to get a more comprehensive overview of the SKF product offering and gain further insight into SKF’s warehouse operations.
In this regard, the day proved to be a great success: “Our team members interacted closely with SKF’s product managers and found new sales opportunities that they were not previously aware of.
This will allow the B.E.D. sales team to have a far better understanding of SKF’s products and services moving forward, enabling us to find and identify new opportunities in the industry for the supply and application of SKF’s products – and ultimately to improve our service and offering to our customers.”
B.E.D. supplies a comprehensive range of locally produced and imported fasteners as well as quality tools, welding and cutting equipment and consumables, bearings, lifting products, PPE, industrial paints and thinners and oils and lubricants to South African industry, including the mining, engineering, materials handling, transportation, rail and agricultural sectors. The Group, established in 1983, is an industry stalwart with a distinctive ‘100/0’ core ethos of taking 100% responsibility, with zero tolerance for excuses.
B.E.D has been an official SKF distributor since 2014 and between 2019 and 2021, has grown its SKF sales substantially. Van Jaarsveld notes that this relationship has enabled B.E.D to become one of the largest SKF authorised distributors and grow each year.
He concludes that the training day has further enriched the very successful partnership between B.E.D. and SKF, and confirmed that they are ‘on the same page’ moving forward.
