Lindapter: the secret of their success

3 minute read time.

With figures showing that half of businesses fail with five years, what can be learnt from a business that’s been going strong since 1934? We chatted to Zara Crowther of steel fixings manufacturer Lindapter to get an understanding of what works for them.

Tell us about the company

“Lindapter designs and manufactures steel-to-steel connections which provide a faster alternative to drilling or welding. It was established in 1934 and has been pioneering the market for over 80 years. Since the company’s founder Henry Lindsay invented the first steelwork clamp in Bradford, our product range and distribution network has evolved significantly.

“We sell to distributors who have technical knowledge and we also provide specialist training to all our distributors because our products are so unique.”

What do you think business owners need to do more often to achieve success?

“I feel that it is essential to always consider each customer as an individual, rather than someone who conveniently fits a profile defined by tools like market segmentation. Of course, it’s necessary for a business to group its target customers based on common characteristics such as demographics but looking beyond these broad profiles and committing to a strategy that truly listens and responds to its customers is one of the most under-utilised opportunities in business today.

“At Lindapter we treat each customer as an individual and tailor both our products and services to suit their specific needs, this makes customers feel valued and builds their trust in our brand. For example, our customers benefit from simply sending us their enquiry and our technical team will design a steel-to-steel connection free of charge. This tailored approach provides customers with a unique solution to their needs, while also saving them time. This also adds more value to our high quality products and makes us appealing as a supplier. Customers often tell us that our technical support is outstanding and over the years we’ve built a solid reputation so people come to us for help.

“We encourage a culture that results in all our teams being as helpful as possible and being passionate about ‘going the extra mile’ to help our customers. For example, not only did our R&D team design and manufacture a bespoke product for Birmingham New Street Station and Grand Central Building, we also supplied a special tool so the contractors did not scratch the polished stainless steel façade during the installation. This attention to detail and genuine helpfulness really helps us to stand out.

“This focus on customer service also allows the business to innovate. Because we develop specific items for customers, our products evolve with market trends. The unique Hollo-Bolt® HCF product originated from research that identified structural engineers wanted a heavy duty structural connection to withstand seismic loads. Lindapter developed a solution and the Hollo-Bolt is now one of our flagship products and is the only expansion bolt for structural steel that is ICC-ES approved for use in all seismic design categories (A to F). In my opinion, if business owners put the customer first and genuinely listen to their needs, commercial success will follow.”

How does your business stay ahead?

“As a British manufacturer with a strong heritage, I feel that it’s especially important to maintain our high quality manufacturing processes as well as our reputation. We have staff in multiple countries around the world who provide extensive technical support, from the free connection design service to developing bespoke products through to installation guidance.

“Lindapter continues to develop its product range and recently expanded its portfolio to include connection solutions for almost any steel to steel application. We also place a great emphasis on gaining independent technical approvals such as the CE Mark, to provide impartial, unbiased evidence that Lindapter products will perform as stated in our catalogue.

“Through these efforts, we maintain and increase our reputation as a reliable and proven manufacturer of steelwork fixings.

“We are fortunate to have a strong well-established brand and our customers tend to approach us, typically asking Lindapter to provide a solution to their connection requirement. But we are never complacent and Lindapter’s marketing team is very passionate about continuing to grow the brand, particularly in export territories. Lindapter invests a significant amount of resources in international marketing and initiatives such as exhibitions, advertising, technical literature, online marketing and supporting our distributors’ marketing and sales activities.”

Thank you Zara for sharing your insights about what makes a company strong after all these years. To find out more about Lindapter, visit www.lindapter.com