Date: 22 June 2009 | Category: News
Starting Q2 of 2009, Vapourtec have been expanding into the USA.
A major part of this move has been the appointment of Northeast Technical Services (NTS) as field service agents for the North East region.
Duncan Guthrie, Managing Director of Vapourtec, explains
“Until now we’ve been reluctant to enter the USA before having very solid service support in place. Of the key things we’ve learnt from many years dealing with US customers in this sector is that rapid high quality support is an essential part of any product’s success. Whereas some vendors rush to build a distributor network from the start, Vapourtec preferred to get the service established first.
“NTS not only offered Vapourtec the skills and coverage we required, but came highly recommended by prospective flow chemistry customers who already received support from NTS for other instrumentation.
“Flow chemistry has for the last few years been mainly in its ‘early adopter’ phase, with pioneering scientists leading the way, showing what can be achieved. But as the technology becomes more established, and enters the chemistry ‘mainstream’, it will be necessary to offer a greater level of technical support to a new wave of users who are less interested in what is ‘under the hood’ and more in ‘putting the technology to work’. ”
The initial US launch has been based around a series of roadshows, taking in key industry and academic groups. Within a few weeks of the first roadshow, more than 50% of the groups visited had already chosen a Vapourtec system. Subsequent roadshows seem on target to continue this trend.
In many cases, word of mouth has preceded the meetings and demos.
“Users and prospective users are all part of global organisations these days”, explains Guthrie, “and we are finding increasingly that a US based scientist will often already have heard about the Vapourtec system, either from colleagues in their company’s European labs, or via staff who have relocated after previously working in a lab using the equipment. This is great news for Vapourtec, as users with previous experience of the Vapourtec system overwhelmingly go on to choose it when they next purchase a system.”
And the future in the US market looks bright.
“Because flow chemistry offers both the possibility of new synthesis routes and a potential shortening of the overall time to market, it is very much seen as a key technology of the future. Many well funded groups who have been cautious so far have now seen how the technology has matured and now seem ready to jump in. ”
Northeast Technical Services
http://www.ne-techservices.com