Inking the deal at Hunkeler’s Innovationdays in late February, Friedheim will now branch into software for the first time in its history as a supplier to the print industry.
“We’ve been listening to our customers, and we’ve had an awful lot of interest in automation, analytics and data,” Darren Crane, Friedheim managing director, told Printweek.
“We’re not software experts, and we’re never going to be, but we’re industry experts. We know the equipment, and more importantly, we know what customers want out of their equipment. For us, this is another feather in the cap: a system that can help our customers get that productivity out of their equipment.”
Ironsides’ software includes automated order tracking, production tracking, cost analytics, and productivity analytics, and works with machinery across a wide range of manufacturers.
The two companies’ teams had met at customer sites several times in the past few years, with each noticing a “clear mutual interest”, he said.
“They’ve got a good product, a good customer base here in Europe and certainly globally,” Crane added.
“We have a good relationship with all the printer vendors, and [Ironsides] works with all of those guys – so it seems a perfect match.”
Bill Riley, president of Ironsides Technologies, said: “For over 12 years, Ironsides has had the privilege of supporting the UK industries. Throughout this time, one company has consistently exemplified outstanding customer service and technological excellence – Friedheim International.
“We are both pleased and proud to strengthen our longstanding relationship through this new distribution agreement, which will enable us to better support the UK print industry. Together, we can offer world-class software that has been proven to enhance productivity, reduce total cost of ownership, and improve margins.”
Crane said that Friedheim sales staff were currently undergoing a thorough training process on the new offering, along with the firm’s team of support technicians – though Ironsides’ dedicated software technical team would always be on hand.
“From what I’ve seen, I’ve been very impressed with it. We’re really looking forward to [setting up customers with the software],” he added.
“At Friedheim, we’re becoming more and more diverse: we’re listening to our customers talk about AI, automation, robotics, and I genuinely believe that the industry is on the brink of a massive change. It’s important that we’re a part of that at Friedheim, because we’re here to support and service our customers – that’s the most important thing.”
