Industry – Coming Back to Life – But Never “Back to Normal”

“We can’t control an uncharted sea, but we can direct our sails and navigate through anything as a team.”
– Joe Williamson

I find it personally inspiring as KEP navigates through the challenges and changes of this pandemic. We are prepared for the next chapter, no matter what that holds.

Coming Back to Life

The initial wave of the pandemic resulted in immediate changes in our company. Our regular orders for orthodontic and food & beverage products ground to a halt. We demonstrated our nimble capabilities by accommodating emergency orders for components that go in anesthesia machines, respirators and other essential medical devices.

Now, we are beginning to see a slow but steady revival of other industries to see projects coming back to life. For example, the food and beverage industry is slowly reviving. The sports arenas, amusement parks and other public venues are also reopening with stringent safety precautions. The orders, by comparison to last year, are smaller – but it’s a steady and healthy sign of a recovery.

However, There is No “Back to Normal” – It’s Reassessment Time

Few businesses are just picking up where they left off. Many companies took hits. They now have reduced budgets, adjusted forecasts and a different market reality.

In the recent economic downturn, companies have taken the time to reexamine all the links in their supply chains. This is in order to cut costs, recuperate losses, sure up supply, and reassess the true value of their partners, vendors and suppliers.

We see it as KEP’s opportunity to shine.

So what sets KEP apart from other companies?

EVERYTHING WE DO…is focused on making the customer experience better, more efficient and more satisfying!

• Our people work together to deliver what you need – when you need it.
• We make it easy to place an order, get solid answers to questions, request a prototype, discuss the scope of your project, and more.
• You have full access to our team’s experience and know-how. We apply our market knowledge to identify gaps, interpret what needs to be done and execute.

These strengths, services and credentials all help our customers and prospects see all that KEP has to offer.

In the “new normal” companies are looking for nimble, productive and reliable partners. One such company produces tourniquet bands similar to KEP. During the height of the COVID shutdown, they stopped production which resulted in delays and stock shortages. Suddenly, their own customers quickly needed tourniquet band supplies.

One such customer called KEP – and were thrilled that we had inventory. Within a day, we shipped 10,000 bands to Canada – allowing them to not miss a beat with their customers. As stated, our goal is to provide customers what they want, when they want it.

Because of this, they discovered our other capabilities and engaged KEP to quote and earn another 40-50k in bands as well. We’re more than a company serving businesses. We’re people helping people be the best they can be!

The future will be different. And KEP will be ready!

– Joe Williamson, Vice President of Sales & Marketing