Like many German manufacturers, Werma, based in the town of Rietheim-Weilheim near the border with France, prefer trading overseas via importing distributors.
Therefore, when its UK division opened in Kettering in 2007 with four staff and a small, 290sqm warehouse, location was key. Importantly, the site was situated close to major motorways and Birmingham airport, but also RS Components, which was fast becoming a major distributor for the burgeoning business.
The Kettering site was set up to establish links with OEMs and end users, while also growing the wholesale business. From here, sales have more than tripled and the company has become a leading supplier for industrial signal devices in the UK.
Three years ago, Werma moved out of the Kettering site and moved to a new location in Wellingborough. The new facility has a much larger 400sqm warehouse, and the team has grown from four to six.
The company has developed a range of innovative wireless technology products, some based on an interface with signal towers that provide manufacturers with significant benefits to their process optimisation. They have also developed a new generation Kanban system which removes the need for traditional cards.
