From Minnesota to Texas CUSTOMER FOCUS WITH OUR PARTNER PROGRAM

Fronius Perfect Welding has been present in Portage in the USA with a subsidiary since 2002. With its Partner Program, the company has developed a special sales strategy to allow users all over this huge country the easiest and most convenient access possible to products and services.

Fronius USA now has five sites spread throughout the country. What benefits does the Partner Program offer?

Fronius is a worldwide innovation leader in welding technology, which makes it a partner for users in all metal-processing industries – including those in the USA. Our customers are spread throughout the country with naturally very high requirements. Not just for the availability of our products, but also the responsiveness of our service. Our Partner Program is designed to make it easier for them to access our welding systems: Users can either make direct contact with one of our five branches or one of the many qualified distributors participating in our partner program. But far more important to us is the service aspect: Our trained sales partners offer both expert pre-sales advice and reliable after-sales care. That way, we help users decide on the optimal welding system and ensure that they continue to enjoy it for a long time to come.

How has the partner network been developed, and what do the distributors offer?

We currently work with 23 distributors in the USA, many of whom have several sites. This means we are  represented in a total of 19 American states – from Minnesota to Texas, Washington to California. Although we do sell a portion of our comprehensive product range through our partners, they specialize mainly in service. Together with the customer, they analyze their requirements and recommend a suitable welding system along with accessories and consumables. They offer product training to make it as easy as possible for future users to handle the new system. In addition, our distributors take on updates, maintenance, and repairs for the systems. In doing so, they help our customers work successfully and efficiently.

Could you give an example of this in practice?

Off the top of my head, Xcel Energy. This company bought ten TransPocket and five AccuPocket welding systems for one of their sites in Minnesota from our sales partner, the Oxygen Service Company. The mobile systems work on a normal power connection, but are also reliable with long grid leads. This meant that additional connecting cables were unnecessary for the company. Temporarily providing these connections was costing Xcel Energy USD 4500 a time – amounting to a hefty USD 140,000 per year. The Fronius systems saved the operating company this sum, which it is naturally extremely happy about.

Which are the main products sold through the Partner Program?

We sell three product groups for manual welding through our distributors. The first group has been exclusively developed for welding with direct current. It includes the light and compact TransPocket models and the battery- operated AccuPocket. The power sources for the second group – the systems in the MagicWave and TransTig series – can do both direct and alternating current welding, making them better suited for TIG processes. Finally, we still have our multiprocess systems, which are true all-rounders. This group currently consists of two models from the TransSteel family and the TPS 270i, a power source from our latest system platform. With this comprehensive portfolio, we offer users the optimal solution for any requirement.

CHRIS BLIVEN , Sales Manager Fronius Partner Program at Fronius USA, reveals in an interview what it involves and the benefits it gives customers.