Member Article

Yuken Europe eyes international expansion after Czech office anniversary

Merseyside manufacturer Yuken Europe is eyeing further expansion across Europe after doubling its customer base during a successful first year for its new Czech subsidiary company.

The Liverpool-based company, which specialises in the design and manufacture of advanced hydraulic technology, launched Yuken CZ Sro as an official company after a period of sustained growth and interest from customers in the country.

Yuken Europe general manager Mannie Saunders said that, following a successful first year of trading, the company was looking to launch similar ventures across mainland Europe.

Mr Saunders said: “We expect to add to the team in the Czech Republic during 2014 following a great first year which has seen our customer base double. This model is something we are keen to replicate across Europe as we grow the Yuken family and one we see a real future in.

“We expect to roll this out in the future to other territories across Europe and are looking at launching another subsidiary company, most likely in France or Poland, as our next target.”

Yuken Europe and Yuken CZ Sro are part of the Japanese-owned Yuken Kogyo group. It is a world leader in hydraulic technology which delivers a broad range of high quality, durable and low energy hydraulic systems, pumps and valves for use across many different sectors and applications.

It manufactures both its own range of products and also bespoke devices for customers on a project-by-project basis.

Mr Saunders said Yuken Europe previously had just a sales manager representing the company in the Czech Republic with customer orders being shipped over from its base in Speke.

The company is now able to distribute its products from a new dedicated warehouse facility in Rakovnik, 25 miles west of the Czech capital.

Milan Došek, general manager of Yuken CZ, said he has been pleased at the customer response since the company moved into the premises in Rakovnik.

“With our dedicated team of staff, we can now offer hydraulic parts directly from our warehouse here which has been beneficial in supplying many smaller businesses centred around Rakovnik and Prague,” he said.

Mr Saunders added: “I am delighted at the achievements made by Yuken CZ in continuing to increase its sales. Having the warehouse and stocks of Yuken components in Rakovnik has certainly given great credibility and credence to our presence there and has helped with achieving the goal of developing brand awareness.

“We set up a satellite sales operation five years ago to see if we could grow our presence in the area around Prague and the Czech Republic as a whole. We developed an excellent reputation and customer base for our durable, low energy products.

“It was becoming increasingly clear that we needed something more solid and substantial so we decided to launch a formal company in the shape of Yuken CZ. It has really helped us develop the Yuken brand and take our name and products out to a much wider audience.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .