The success story of the French family business LUQUOT INDUSTRIE SAS, based in Morez, began back in the 1940s, when the great-grandfather of the current CEO, François Luquot, founded the company in the post-war period. Initially active in the local eyewear industry, the company then gradually expanded into neighbouring areas, consistently expanding its ranges and services and is now active throughout the Jura and beyond.

Luquot Industrie has been a member of E/D/E since the end of 2002, is an active partner in the FORMATplus sales concept and has been selling all products from the French industrial supplies catalogue for several years. Today, Luquot Industrie works almost exclusively with professional industrial customers in the field of cutting and advises and supports them professionally and individually through technically experienced sales staff.

Luquot Industrie not only attaches importance to professionalism and customer proximity but has also recently focused on the topic of digitalisation. Thanks to the recently launched online shop, Luquot Industrie not only hopes to acquire new customers, but above all to serve existing customers better and more professionally. “We know very well that our key accounts in particular definitely want to be able to place their orders via an online shop. We wanted to offer this important service to increase customer loyalty. And it’s a question of image, a question of the future, because we know very well today that it’s essential to have a high-performance website,” says François Luquot. Not least because of this new web shop, in which the complete FORMATplus catalogue is integrated, among other things, the company is gradually moving towards supplying the professional end clients of its industrial customers directly with all assortments from the eLC (electronic Logistic Center) in Wuppertal in 24/48 hours.

François Luquot adds: “With a family business like Luquot, with such a small structure as we have, to create a website like this, that’s pretty strong. I’m really proud of that!”

We at EDE International can only fully agree with this statement and congratulate the company on its modern new website.

For further info https://commande.luquot.com/

“Ireland is always worth a visit, and our first Irish member Goodwins in Lucan/Adamstown is certainly a good place to be!” said Freek Dekkers, EDE International Sales Director North Europe-Benelux. He and Monika Ko Ko Win, Internal Support Northern Europe, were amazed when they were presented with the first Fortis Green Rack developed in-house.

Goodwins Lucan Ltd. was founded in 1978 by Billy Goodwin and has been run by the second generation since 1997, when son Jonathan took over. Since then, the specialist for quality hardware and building supplies for specialist trades and DIY customers has developed steadily. In addition to quality, Goodwin’s places particular emphasis on competitive prices, high stock availability and accuracy in serving its customers. The product range is wide and includes hardware, building, fixing, tools, timber and other assortments. All products from the two cash and carry locations in Lucan and Mulhuddart are visible on the company’s website, including information on prices and real-time stock levels.

Goodwins has been a member of E/D/E since 2022 and benefits from access to new European suppliers and products and especially from the implementation of the Fortis Green concept.

Managing director and owner Jonathan Goodwin and Ciaran France, the company’s purchasing manager, are equally committed to sustainability as a family business. Through a recently installed photovoltaic system, the use of electric forklifts and the introduction of electronic product labelling, Goodwins saves on materials and emissions, helping to reduce its own environmental footprint. You can find more information about the company, product ranges and much more at https://www.goodwins.ie/

Our member Jako, based in Malden, the Netherlands, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. An important event in this anniversary year was a Jako anniversary party with many invited guests on 9 June 2023 at the company headquarters. A special highlight: instead of gifts for the anniversary, Jako had asked the guests to make a donation to the “IMC Weekend School” Foundation under the motto “Your contribution to the future”.  This educational institution, which is based in Amsterdam and has a total of 58 locations in the Netherlands, offers children aged 10 to 14 from disadvantaged neighbourhoods an additional education through various programmes. Through the Jako campaign, an amount of 15,000 euros has already been collected and ceremoniously handed over at the event.

The Jako business dates back to 1973, when the first generation of the Jansen family laid the foundations for the company and the Jako brand. Today the family business is run jointly by the second and third generations. According to its own motto: “Jako delivers the right equipment, at the right time, in the right place”, Jako enjoys an excellent reputation in the regional and national market in the construction sector.

For 22 years now, E/D/E has been able to actively accompany Jako in the market as partners. During this time, we have been able to build up and intensively expand the specialist construction equipment sector together with three other dealers in the Netherlands, create joint synergies and successfully establish our FORMAT and – more recently – FORTIS private label in the market. Freek Dekkers (Sales Director Northern Europe-Benelux): “We warmly congratulate the owner family, the management and the employees on this special occasion and look forward to the next 50 years together!”

For further info:  https://jako.nl/

“At ERIKS, we want to be the best. Not only do we want to offer our customers products at competitive prices, but we also want to deliver them more efficiently, more accurately and faster than the competition,” says Jon Whitehouse, Product Business Unit Director. To achieve this, the British EDE member ERIKS invested 20 million pounds, around 22 million euros, in the new 11 000 square metre Fulfilment Centre of Excellence (FCE) in Oldbury, West Midlands. This replaces the previous ERIKS logistics centre in Halesowen. “For us, it is a very big step on the way to achieving the five customer satisfaction goals at ERIKS,” explains Jon Whitehouse. With 53 per cent more storage capacity than at the old location and 22 per cent more shelf space, the FCE achieves the first goal: to have exactly the products in stock in large numbers to be able to guarantee high availability.

One hundred per cent control

Picking, packing and dispatching orders with one hundred percent accuracy describes the second goal of ERIKS customer satisfaction. As an Industry 4.0 warehouse, the FCE has the technology to make this possible. At each stage of processing within the logistics centre, goods are checked against weight, size and barcodes to ensure that the correct products are delivered. “This happens not just for 99 per cent of orders, but for every single one,” says Jon Whitehouse.

“Our third goal is to deliver as quickly as possible within the UK and Ireland, the fourth to be able to track orders much better,” says Jon Whitehouse. “For both goals, the technology is already in place and is being implemented and optimised.”

The development of digital transformation that supports the customer makes the ERIKS customer satisfaction goals complete. “Extensive warehouse capacity already built now for future requirements, existing infrastructure and scalable Industry 4.0 technology, help to achieve the goals we have set,” says Jon Whitehouse.

In mid-January, Freek Dekkers, Sales Director North Europe-Benelux at EDE International, visited the FCE: “What ERIKS has created with the new logistics centre is very progressive. We have been working together globally and intensively for many years. With the new logistics centre, we will be able to expand our cooperation even further.” Congrats Eriks from EDE International!

Since February, the E/D/E member has set up a new sales wall at the Barneveld location, the Netherlands, to present the FORUM tools. The core business of H.O. Remmerden is the wholesale of tools for industry and construction companies at three locations in Rhenen, Barneveld and Druten, the Netherlands, as well as at a further location in Tiel for the collection of products. The company is characterised by its wide range of tools and its large stock assortment – both on site in the respective branches and in the overall warehouse at the Rhenen location.

Service-oriented

“Gewoon doen”, “Simply do it” – the motto of H.O. Remmerden – is reflected in the customer-oriented offers.

Special services include direct delivery to end customers as well as uncomplicated and fast repair of defective power tools. The feel-good factor is not lacking either: customers get a familiar feeling when they enter the shops. People know and trust each other – employees and customers meet here at eye level. This includes direct and specialised, but also very individual advice, which Remmerden sees as a service to the customer. In addition, ustomers can order further FORUM tools from the catalogue on site. People know and trust each other – employees and customers meet here at eye level. This includes direct and specialised, but also very individual advice, which Remmerden sees as a service to the customer. In addition, customers can order further FORUM tools from the catalogue on site. A total of 27,000 products, 7,000 of which are FORUM products, can be ordered and are delivered from the E/D/E warehouse in Wuppertal to the end customers in the Netherlands within 24 hours via drop shipment.

Structured and open  

The shop concept also contributes to the positive overall impression: It is well structured, open and clearly laid out. In February, a new presentation wall for the FORUM tools was fitted into this concept. At the Barneveld location, they were given a premium place. Three metres of wall space were provided for this purpose. What makes the exhibition space additionally attractive is the orientation in height: with a height of four metres and a two-metre-high banner, the wall is an eye-catcher for customers even from a distance. The FORUM tool wall in Barneveld was flexibly put together by Remmerden, erected in a very short time and, with the selection made, it covers the needs of all experts. Maximilian Görgens, BeNeLux representative at EDE International, provided advice, planning and implementation. And this is exactly the service he offers to the member companies: On-site advice, design suggestions and sometimes even the handicraft implementation up to the finished exhibition wall. 

As of 1 January 2023, Mónica Carrascal Rioja is the new Managing Director of DELCREDIT España S.A., a subsidiary of EDE International and the Spanish purchasing association CECOFERSA. With her appointment, Monica Carrascal replaces Rafael Martín Alfonso, who will take over the position of Advisor to the Board of Directors of DELCREDIT and CECOFERSA.

“We are pleased to have gained Mónica Carrascal, a long-standing CECOFERSA employee, and thus to be able to ensure a smooth transition of the management of DELCREDIT España S.A.”, says Annegret Franzen, CEO of EDE International AG.

In 2007, Mónica Carrascal joined CECOFERSA as Head of Purchasing and in this position made a valuable contribution to the organisation on both the supplier and member side. Annegret Franzen: “We thank Mónica Carrascal for her dedication and are sure that she will now apply this energy equally to our subsidiary. At the same time, we thank Rafael Martín for the ten years of joint cooperation.” Since the foundation of DELCREDIT España in 2012, he has been largely responsible for its excellent development in Spain and Portugal. “We are pleased that Rafael Martín will continue to be available as an advisor to the Board of Directors in the coming months and will thus pass on his experience to the new Managing Director,” says Annegret Franzen.

Strong cooperation on the Iberian Peninsula Since March 2022, EHLIS AG has held the majority shares in CENTRAL DE COMPRAS Y SERVICIOS PROFESIONALES S.A. (CECOFERSA).  This has created the strongest association in the B2B / DIY sector on the Iberian Peninsula with around 1,800 sales locations and its own central warehouse at the company’s location near Barcelona as well as further warehouse and service locations in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia as well as on Mallorca and Tenerife. In order to be able to supply the members of the new constellation with goods even faster, another logistics centre is currently being built near Madrid on a floor space of around 60,000 square metres.

The Slovakian company Commerc Service s.r.o. decided to become a member of E/D/E several years ago. The decisive factors were strategic considerations and the desire to work more efficiently.

Javier Herrera, former Marketing and Communications Director of the Spanish CECOFERSA S.A. replaced the General Director of the Purchasing and Services Centre, Christina Menéndez, as of 20 October. “We want to further strengthen and expand CECOFERSA’s leading position and continue the excellent work that has been done for more than 30 years,” explains Javier Herrera on taking up his post.