Optimism prevails at AWL!
As the new Sales Manager of AWL Techniek B.V., I happily accepted the invitation to share some personal comments for this Newsletter. After having worked my entire career in Sales, Export and Machine Manufacturing, AWL is my first introduction into the world of automatic welding.
As before, I am attracted and motivated by the fact that we are in the “shaping business”. Together with our customers we develop ideas and turn them into intelligent welding systems that add value to our customers’ primary processes. We create what we had envisioned at the start of a project and we are accountable for the final results.
This value chain, in which not only AWL, as a machine manufacturing company and system integrator operates, is also home to our customers and suppliers. We are faced with challenging times due to a swiftly changing and new economic reality. Furthermore, comparative studies indicate that our “industrial production industry” is one of the more complex branches to be successful in the long run. An explanation for this is that it usually takes two to four years and considerable costs to bring technological innovations to a level of sustainable added value. Furthermore, we expect such innovations to create value for another 10 to 15 years in order to be truly successful money-makers capable of subsidising other new developments.
Other subjective and behavioural studies suggest that even though pessimists are usually closer to the truth, optimists achieve more! It is exactly with this positive drive and enthusiasm that AWL approaches today’s challenges, both externally in the market and internally within our own organisation.
Every day, AWL meets customers in the automotive and non-automotive related industries who have found new ways to deal with the new industrial dynamics. Relocating production facilities, realising retro-fits or other long overdue changes and making investments against favourable conditions to be more cost efficient, are some examples we encounter which explain the continuous drive to introduce new automatic welding projects.
More than 100 years ago, our industry found its roots in the heart of the big industrial revolution. We have proven ever since that we are a driving force for global industrial developments. As this is embedded in our DNA, we will continue to forge forward throughout the existing and upcoming generations.
With her young, dynamic and professional workforce, AWL is proud to be part of this value chain, contributing to the heritage and standing firm as a smart and reliable partner. We will assist you with your ambition to keep ahead in automatic welding and, in so doing, prepare you for the future!
Pierre Verwegen
Sales Manager