As JD Neuhaus continues to innovate, it’s ready to make the most of the opportunities it sees in the Middle East and West Africa.
JD Neuhaus (JDN) has been the world market leader in pneumatically and hydraulically operated hoists and crane systems since designing and manufacturing its own air hoist in 1952.
Its products are in use in over 70 different sectors in more than 90 countries around the world.
However, not many people are aware of all the company’s services, including research and development and project management.
For example, JDN recently completed two significant projects with the UK’s Ministry of Defence, finishing the Queen Elizabeth and the Prince Charles aircraft carriers.
The job entailed fitting a weapons handling system and JDN created a bespoke design for it, using elements of JDN’s existing products but tailored to suit the client’s needs.
Steve Walker, JDN ’s managing director, said: “A key element that we provide is technical design advice. There are always unique requirements within lifting. There’s always a challenge of something unique that needs to be lifted in a unique environment
through a unique building.
“We can come up with plans that do that and we can come up with STEM products that do that as well.”
But JDN is not interested in one-offs; it likes to cultivate relationships with its customers.
© Supplied by JD NeuhausSteve calls this holistic account management: “Our goal is always to engage with the customer – from the very first point of thinking they may need a hoist, right through to if there’s a design element required, supply, installation, commissioning, servicing, right through to the very end, decommissioning.”
It’s an approach that plays a crucial part in the success of the 277-year-old family-owned company, keeping the trust of clients like BP and other end users in the construction and food industries.
Another example of JDN’s market-leading innovation is the latest addition to its tight product line: a hoist that’s certified and approved for halal food processing.
Steve added: “Halal food has certain requirements; it needs to be void of certain animals. So, the equipment used in the preparation all needs to be halal approved as well.
“We went the extra mile to make sure that the grease used in our hoist is halal approved. That shows you the type of detail we go into to make sure our product is
suitable for the market.”
It’s an innovation that comes at the perfect time as JDN focuses on its reach, specifically in the Middle East and West Africa.
During the pandemic, it signed an agreement with the Sparrows Group, a global provider of specialist products and integrated services to the energy and industrial
sectors.
That partnership in the Middle East has since grown to include West Africa, increased
JDN’s turnover as a result.
With the Middle East’s intention to continue drilling for oil, Steve explains, JDN’s partnership with Sparrows is strategic.
He said: “Oil and gas is a major opportunity for us. That’s why we’ve partnered with someone that can deliver the service training that we have, that has a very, very strong reputation in the Middle East region already.”
But the opportunities are not without challenges. Supply chain prices and logistics are a problem. There are higher fuel costs and less flights so getting people, product and parts mobilised in certain areas can be difficult. But JDN is looking at ways to streamline its processes.
For Steve, the challenge is simply managing the size of the opportunities.
“It’s got to be a focused approach with certain customers. I would say implementing holistic account management is the challenge that we have.”
However, with JDN’s history and experience to fall back on, Steve is confident that the future is bright.
He ends: “We’re going to use the oil and gas work and turnover to branch out to become wider-ranging, rather than focused solely on oil and gas. I see massive opportunities in the industrial market and food. In West Africa, I see the same level of opportunities. I think 2023 could be a very, very exciting year.”
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