TEKTRO Europe GmbH, part of TEKTRO Technology Corp, was established in September 2019. From this office, the Taiwan company will maintain all contact with its European partners, including OEs, DIs and dealers.
“We started with the focus on product, sales and marketing. That was the foundation. Behind the scenes, we worked step-by-step to develop a service department. The arrival of Armand Müller, our Head of Service, in April 2020 marked an important step in this direction. He now has three dedicated employees in his team. We are currently holding job interviews. That would mean that the team at the new TEKTRO Europe Service Center will soon consist of five people”, says Thomas Lattke, General Manager of TEKTRO Europe GmbH since 2019.
Reliable partner
With this step, TEKTRO Europe GmbH is transforming itself into the company it wants to be: a reliable, service-oriented partner of the entire industry.
“With our service center, we want above all to be a back-up for existing service partners. So, it is definitely not the case that we are taking over all the work of other partners and distributors. However, with the growing volume of bicycles equipped with TEKTRO and TRP technology, it is necessary to be directly available for dealer enquiries as well. The technology is also becoming more extensive and sophisticated”, says Lattke. “In addition, it is the express wish of the OE market, a relevant business field for us, that we have a service facility on hand.”
Full racks
The TEKTRO Europe Service Center in Hassloch near Mannheim, not far from Frankfurt, will open on April 1 next year. At that time, it will have sufficient service and spare parts on stock. “We want to be 100 per cent ready when we open and therefore also have full racks. TEKTRO in Taiwan supports us very well with this.”
In addition to a physical location, the TEKTRO Europe Service Center will start to build the digital support, in the form of e-learning. “The Covid-19 times have made it clear to us that we need to be more agile in terms of being present. We are therefore developing a video studio, where dealers can find information if there are problems. Armand can also start video sessions on interesting topics. For example: how to bleed a DH-R EVO?”
Optimize product lines
The opening of the TEKTRO Europe Service Center will be important for all the dealers. They can rely on a competent organization that knows all product details for their technical questions. The other way around, the TEKTRO Europe Service Center is also of interest to TEKTRO. Lattke: “Service is a very broad term. Many people quickly think of warranty cases. But good product development that fits the European market needs is also a form of service. We are close to the market and receive direct feedback, which helps to optimize our product lines.”
Drivetrain technology
At last, the TEKTRO Europe Service Center is also important as TEKTRO expands its product portfolio. In early spring 2022 the company will introduce its next generations of drivetrain technology.
“We have been successful for a few years now with our e-bike brake solution product line: a specific brake technology, that includes thicker and larger rotors to improve the heat resistance. This has put us on the radar of many companies from other industries, such as the automotive sector. What it comes down to is that from now on we will be focusing on complete e-mobility solutions. Consider it a cross-over that makes us even more interesting for the automotive industry which is also working on Last Mile Solutions and alterative concepts."
"The next highlight will be the launch of a specific Tektro E-Bike specific drivetrain technology, together with Conway, beginning of next year. We learned allot from our TRP TR12 projects and we will introduce a first application with our complete ED drivetrain technology.”
This article is sponsored by Tektro.
