The right PPE for your applications and budget

A company doesn't just turn a hundred years old. That requires dedication to keep serving customers at their beck and call and the innovative power to keep pushing the boundaries. That the Hoffmann Group turns a century old in 2019 is the best proof of that. Just two years ago, it launched a collection of personal protective equipment to complement its existing solutions in tools and business equipment. The metalworker thus gets a one-stop shop for all his materials with the same service for which Hoffmann has been known for years.

The Hoffmann Group needs little introduction to metalworkers. Every day, 80 tons of tools arrive at the distribution warehouse in Nuremberg. The same quantity is also shipped to customers within 24 hours with a wide range of machining, clamping, measuring, grinding and cutting technology, screw tools, gripping, cutting and striking tools, hand and assembly tools, workshop equipment and supplies. For the past two years, a category has been added: personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE specialist Kristof Dierckx: "The fact that PPE has grown into a fourth catalog section actually came at the request of customers. They are looking for a one-stop-shop to bundle all their purchases and preferably as efficiently and easily as possible. That's Hoffmann's e-shop all over again."

"People are also placing more importance on ergonomics and comfort. We want to capitalize on that by offering fitting sessions to custom fit safety glasses, earplugs and shoes, for example."

Protection from head to toe

Metalworkers can start protecting their employees from head to toe with Hoffmann's PPE. "The collection has been put together in such a way to achieve a nice balance," Dierckx points out. "On the one hand in products and protection, but on the other hand also in price-quality. After all, every customer has their own requirements, their own budget. We want to meet that by offering a wide range." By the way, this is not limited to the catalog. One can also look at the complete offer of the suppliers carefully selected by Hoffmann and order via the e-shop. Dierckx: "The difference is in the delivery times. Everything in our catalog falls under our well-known service conditions: delivered within 24 hours with an accuracy of over 99%. But in practice, we are even faster. So customers can keep their stock to a minimum. For the other material, it depends on the supplier."

Customized advice in accordance with regulations

Hoffmann's service, however, goes a step further. As for tools, the company also has in-house PPE specialists as well as goods dispensing systems that are ideally suited for single item dispensing. "Due to the varied supply, it is not always obvious to make the right choices. Our PPE specialists therefore go on site to advise customers which PPE should be used against the risk in question. Always in accordance with the most recent laws and regulations," Dierckx points out. "But people also attach more importance to ergonomics and comfort. After all, satisfied employees are less likely to look for another challenge. We want to respond to this by, for example, offering fitting sessions to measure safety glasses, earplugs and shoes." In the meantime, there is already a lot of interest, both from existing and new customers. Half of the orders run digitally. Prevention consultants also have all the data sheets available there immediately. "This is just the beginning. In the coming years we will expand the package even further with our service included. That is what we are known for, and we will continue to live up to it," concludes Dierckx.