As part of its ongoing strategy to promote sustainable growth and increase its value proposition to its broad customer base across a range of industries, leading supplier Bearings International (BI) has appointed Conrad Muller as Sales and Marketing Director, effective from November 2018.

Muller reports directly to Hudaco Industries Portfolio Executive Ernie Smith, who oversees the BI and Bauer Gear Motor divisions.

Muller is a qualified electrical and control software engineer, from where he progressed into sales and business development. His sales career commenced in the industrial automation space, across multiple market segments, from industrial to manufacturing, automotive, water, mining, and power generation. He holds various qualifications in sales and project management, and has many years of sales leadership experience.

“I enjoy knowing I am still an engineer at heart. It means I understand the world and perceptions of our customers. What engineers want above all else are holistic solutions based on product, service, and delivery, and this is what we must gear ourselves towards at all times,” Muller asserts.

“An important goal in this regard is to grow BI through the success of our clients. If we are just another supplier, then we have failed. We must be perceived as an integral partner assisting actively in achieving the maintenance and repair deadlines of our customers. Critical factors here are whether or not our pricing is in line with what is expected from quality tiered products, are our deliveries on schedule, and are we keeping our customers informed and updated.”

Muller highlights: “My main focus is managing the sustainability of the business and, of course, with the key emphasis on growth. We have a vast network of around 50 branches, with internal stockholding and external sales staff that need to be enabled, mobilised, and supported via our product and end user segments to be as efficient as they can be in delivering our products and services to the remote regions.”

He concludes that while Greenfield projects have taken a knock due to the economic downturn, BI has an equal spread of both Greenfield and Brownfield customers, with the latter focused more on repair and maintenance. “It is important to understand the specific needs of these clients, as differentiated from new projects.

This is why we work across the board, from EPC clients to consultants and partners on new projects, to largescale contract customers, and then lastly our external regional partners, who assist us with new business development.”