All indicators show that the Serbian market is in constant growth, which is why we decided to invest constantly
KLEEMANN Lifts, based in Šimanovci, represents just one part of a major Greek corporation that operates in 15 countries and distributes its products in another 100. The director of KLEEMANN Lifts, Odysseus Markakis, responds to CorD’s question about what the key criteria are in determining the choice of country in which establish production operations by saying that it starts from an ability to serve customers on large and high-potential local markets quickly and reliably.
“Apart from the fact that KLEEMANN has the widest product range in the world, giving solutions to any vertical transportation need with world-class design, our biggest competitive advantage is that we are experts in special projects: we give full customisation options to our customers while maintaining the record for the fastest deliveries. Therefore, having local production operations is a “must” for markets where we want to capture a large share since we want to be fast and flexible when addressing customers’ needs with customised technical solutions.
“Based on this criterion, we have even expanded beyond Europe, where we are traditionally very strong. We couldn’t miss the Chinese market (which accounts for two-thirds of the world market), and we made a significant investment there in recent years, while we are also looking into the possibility of establishing a local presence in the United States.
“When it comes to Serbia in particular, since KLEEMANN is the leader of this market and we want to further increase our presence, the decision to establish production operations in this country is a consequence of our intention to serve the needs of our local customers more efficiently.”
When it comes to Serbia in particular, since KLEEMANN is the leader of this market and we want to further increase our presence, the decision to establish production operations in this country is a consequence of our intention to serve the needs of our local customers more efficiently
You develop cutting-edge systems for passenger and freight lifts. Does the Serbian market have the capacity to absorb your products, which are based on the latest and most innovative technologies?
– Considering the high standards of quality and the strict and sophisticated modern technical specifications and regulations, the level of the market of the Serbian lift is as high as that found in other demanding European countries. Certainly, our product range also has products that go beyond the needs of the Serbian market, like high-rise/high-speed lifts for very tall buildings. However, all our other technologies, like the Green Lift, the Destination Control Systems, the Advanced and Special Automations etc., are frequently requested by customers on the Serbian market, whom we appreciate for choosing us.
Their trust confirms that we have the best and most reliable products for vertical transportation solutions.
The business public paid great attention to news from KLEEMANN last year regarding the expansion of your capacities and fresh investments. What specifically determines such operational decisions as expansion and re-investment?
– The central strategy that drives such decisions is that we need to have a strong presence wherever there is an important market and to keep up with its projected potential. In Serbia, there is every indication that the trend of strong growth we have observed in recent years will continue, and that is why we have been continually investing in this country. It should also be noted that KLEEMANN is the only manufacturer of complete lifts in Serbia.