Area Four Industries is blazing a new trail in the truss and support structure industry. The cutting edge technology and customer-oriented solutions from their well-known brands - MILOS, LITEC, TOMCAT, JAMES THOMAS ENGINEERING, EXE Technology and Mobiltechifts.
Set the stage for a bright future in the wide range of markets they serve. Two of their newest brands - Xstage and Xtruss – will be introduced in the second half of 2017 and will add even more value to their already impressive portfolio.
We recently sat down with Fabio Prada, Sales and Marketing Director at Area Four Industries, to discuss the group, its brands, its range of products, and the added value of pre and post sales technical support they offer.
Can you tell us about the Area Four Industries group?
Area Four Industries has been created to stand above its portfolio of brands, serving as a think tank and incubator for their ideas and strategies . The mission of Area Four Industries is to empower its brands’ DNA, heritage, history, know-how and experience.
Now that all brands are under the Area Four Industries banner, does anything change with their products, services and approach to their customers?
No. Nothing has changed. A4I is a standalone entity that supports its brands in a non-intrusive manner, provides assistance to each of them and serves as a catalyst for their various activities. Management of customers and contact with the local market lies strictly with the brands. They operate completely independently. Exactly has as they have in the past. A4I is strictly a banner above the brands, unless we speak about the Area Four Industries distribution companies. The distribution companies in the United Kingdom, Germany and America serve as representatives of the manufactures, distributors for their products and providers of complete technical support.
I would like to take this chance to speak specifically about James Thomas Engineering, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. JTE is the most globally established brand in the group and has the longest tradition. But age has not slowed them down. In fact, they will go through more changes this year than any other brand in our portfolio in terms of image, product portfolio and market presence. You’ll soon discover all that’s to come from this dynamic brand.
We’ve seen that Area Four Industries distribution companies have recently been established in several countries – U.K., Germany, and most recently, the United States. Can you tell us about these offices and the value they bring to local customers?
It’s true that we’ve been very active the last couple of years with establishing Area Four Industries companies in Europe and America. First, I would like to make it clear that these companies are not just offices of Area Four Industries. They are full-service distribution companies that fully represent and sell products from brands in the Area Four Industries portfolio. The staff at each distribution company has deep and intimate knowledge of each brand and its products. Each company also provides pre and post sales assistance, as well as full technical support.
Your “Technical Assistance” service is available for customers of all Area Four Industries brands. What is included in this service and what benefits does it bring to customers?
This service is exclusively available at Area Four Industries offices. With Technical Sales, our experts, software, modern technologies (such as 3D printing), designers and structural engineers assist with your purchase and guide you through all stages of implementation of your project. We answer all of your questions and even propose concrete solutions to your abstract ideas. We are happy to help you solve safety, compatibility, statics, technical options and other complex aspects of your installation / project. We provide consultations and suggest solutions that will suit your needs now and when you transition into larger projects in the future.
Education is listed as one of the main areas Area Four Industries will focus upon. What are your activities within the educational sphere and where are they carried out?
Our current education programs are carried out by Area Four Industries and oue TOMCAT brand.
The Area Four Industries Product Academy and Rigging Academy are two courses that are held each year at MILOS factories in the Czech Republic and China. The Product Academy is mainly geared for salespeople and general technicians. During this training, truss, hoist and outdoor structures are covered. The Rigging Academy is a more advanced course and focuses on theoretical and practical rigging. Both academies feature a tour of the factor, where participants witness the MILOS production process from start to finish.
Area Four Industries will hold its first annual “Rigger’s Voice” course at the end of this year. This course has been designed for leading, experienced riggers in the industry and will consist of advanced technical and theoretical training.
Our TOMCAT brand holds the well-known, week long TOMCAT U hoist and rigging workshop for the entertainment industry. In addition to learning basic and advanced hoist and rigging practices, attendees earn ETCP credit hours. A bonus of every TOMCAT U is that attendees get to enjoy the nearby attractions where the workshop is held. This year’s workshop was held in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
What are your plans for the group and its brands going forward?
Our core business has always been on products, safety, and quality. This will not change. And our focus on innovation, product development and increased safety in accordance with the needs of the market and professional riggers worldwide will continue. Going forward, we will concentrate on increasing worldwide recognition of all brands in our portfolio and expanding our presence around the globe. Our goal is to increase exports through Area Four Industries distribution companies, local distributors and direct sales to end-customers so products from each of our brands are within reach of everyone on the planet.
