In a strategic move that strengthens its sales and drives growth in Europe, Europlacer has agreed the terms of a new partnership with high-tech electronics manufacturing equipment distributor SmartRep GmbH. The partnership sees the Hanau-based company selling alongside Europlacer’s division in Germany and across German speaking territories in Europe.

SmartRep had been seeking to complete its SMT equipment portfolio by adding a pick & place solution suitable for small and medium sized businesses in the German market. These manufacturers typically operate in sophisticated high-mix assembly environments that demand flexibility and high value. Placement platforms and screen printers from Europlacer meet those demands with legendary and industry-award-winning flexibility, while also providing confidence to German customers of European build-quality standards in its products. Europlacer’s placement machines are manufactured in France; its screen printers are manufactured in the UK.

“SmartRep is looking to revolutionise the German market and we are in the ideal position both in terms of our business model and our geographic locations to support that ambition,” explains John Perrotta, Group Sales & Service Officer at Europlacer. “The Europlacer name stands for quality, precision and productivity, and is famous for flexibility as we’ve long known that this is vital for most of our electronics manufacturing customers across the globe. It’s no coincidence: we engage with customers intimately, and actively incorporate their feedback directly into our pick & place equipment developments and our product roadmap,” he adds.

In summarising his firm’s product search, SmartRep CEO Andreas Keller is delighted to be partnering with Europlacer, seeing the company as a hidden champion in the SME sector itself, and one that understands the needs of the German SMT sector as a result. “Europlacer is the perfect supplier for our SMEs,” he says. “Whether for EMS or ODM manufacturers, whether high-mix low-volume or vice versa, Europlacer is absolutely competitive in terms of technology because flexibility is not just a watchword. The Europlacer teams focus on developing and delivering exceptional assembly solutions, which fits our business model perfectly,” he concludes.

Similarly, Rudolf Niebling, the founder of SmartRep, is especially pleased to have found a partner in Europlacer that shares its business philosophy and follows the same approach. “Europlacer, the product, the technology and the team behind it are convincing. Right from the start of production, great importance is attached to top quality,” he says.

John Perrotta adds a perspective as he believes that Europlacer is still a ‘hidden champion’ in Germany but expects that position to change rapidly with the new SmartRep sales partnership agreement: “We plan to step clearly into the light and help to revolutionise the market with products and solutions that are absolutely right for it. In addition, we bring decades of proven experience to businesses in these territories, along with the optimum solutions for those seeking to match the challenges that small and medium-sized customers are faced with every day, week and month.”

Europlacer already has a Support Hub and Demonstration Centre in Glauberg near Frankfurt. That facility will continue to operate as a resource that parallels the local infrastructure offered by SmartRep.

Visitors to the SMT Connect show in Nuremberg from 10th to 12th May can see Europlacer products featuring on the SmartRep Stand No. 230 and the Europlacer Stand No.259, both in Hall 4 of the convention centre.

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