"We have seen an increase in demand for PPE from our customers in recent years," explains Christian Kreitmair, Vice President Personal Protective Equipment at the Hoffmann Group. "We have therefore taken a closer look at the market and found that it is highly fragmented regionally and requires a lot of consultation." For purchasers and safety engineers, the company could reduce complexity and process costs by offering PPE in addition to quality tools and operating equipment and providing comprehensive advice. "As a result, we have not only expanded our product portfolio, but also built up the relevant consulting capacities - and we do this across the whole of Europe."

Customer advisors and application engineers on site
At the Hoffmann Group, personal customer support is provided by sales representatives and by specialists for machining, factory equipment and PPE in the field and in the office. The field service is present on site worldwide, as customers expect high-quality consulting services at each of their locations. Experienced PPE experts have been recruited and trained throughout Europe to provide comprehensive PPE advice. In addition to providing expert product advice and conducting training courses, the PPE consultants' tasks include providing support with risk analyses and drawing up protection plans. They also assist customers with wear tests and determining the size of work clothing and safety footwear. With the help of foot measurement systems, for example, shoe sizes can be precisely determined and wearing comfort increased.

Workwear can also be finished in accordance with corporate design requirements, thereby promoting the employees' sense of belonging to the company. "We are very familiar with the environment in which our customers need PPE. This is because our plant equipment consultants have often planned and set up the workstations according to aspects such as 'safety, cleanliness and ergonomics in the workplace'," says Kreitmair. "In addition, our application engineers, who advise our customers on site on the use and safe handling of tools, know what hazards can arise at industrial workstations. This enables a holistic approach. Our PPE consultants can provide suitable PPE practically seamlessly where hazards in the workplace cannot be avoided for technical or organizational reasons. On request, they also help our customers to design a uniform range of PPE across all locations and throughout Europe. This makes procurement much easier."