Fiber laser cutting machine conquers new market segment

Maarten Vermeiren and Kris Verheyen own sheet metal working company ACD Laser in Essen. "About two years ago, we started looking for a replacement machine for our CO2 laser. When machines run four to five hours a day, the payback period for machines of European origin is very long. At trade fairs in Frankfurt and Hanover, we therefore also visited the smaller halls where Asian suppliers of fiber laser machines presented their products. Our primary goal was to purchase a machine for our sheet metal working company. At the same time, we saw an opportunity to share our experience in laser cutting with other companies by distributing Asian machines in Belgium. Due to the lower price of machines from Asian manufacturers, companies that outsourced their sheet metal work in the past are now seeing opportunities to purchase a machine themselves." Verheyen and Vermeiren scrutinized a dozen Asian companies and asked them critical questions after which three companies were shortlisted. Verheyen went to China to investigate. Eventually, the pair decided to work with Bodor. And so the new company Bodor Belgium was born.

Technical knowledge

"We first purchased a machine ourselves. It is an S4020 6KW fiber laser cutting machine for sheet metal processing, with a working range of 4,000 x 2,000 mm." The machine was delivered in March 2020, just before the corona crisis began here. "The flying in of a technical man for installation, however, was cancelled. So we installed the machine ourselves. As a result, we know perfectly well what an installation entails and how best to adjust the machine." Nor is there a language barrier. "It is sometimes difficult to communicate between flown-in Asian technicians on the one hand and operators on the other due to a language and cultural barrier. This can lead to companies not wanting to deal with an Asian supplier." Another stumbling block Belgian companies faced in the past was service. "This usually took place online. If a problem arose, Bodor in China would ask to send a film recording to which they would then respond. We, on the other hand, can provide the service needed on site."

First machines already sold

Meanwhile, Bodor Belgium, run by Vermeiren and Verheyen, has already sold the first machines. "We have a tube laser X260 and a T360, the first machine of this size in Europe in our range. Large European manufacturers can supply suitable machines, but for many companies these are not feasible. That's when we come into the picture. An example. One of our customers was spending 100,000 euros a year purchasing sheet metal. Deliveries from sheet metal processing companies sometimes took longer than desired. This customer wondered if it would pay off to purchase an affordable machine to do the sheet metal work in-house. We worked through all the costs - from machine, electricity consumption, operator to maintenance - based on their needs and requirements. This made it clear that it was interesting for them to purchase a Bodor machine. Since they received a nice quote from us for a plate and tube laser, they decided to purchase a tube laser two weeks after the initial purchase as well." Soon the machines will be delivered from China. "We will guarantee proper operation and excellent service. Asian machines, with a Belgian touch."