Changing the generic perception of chipboard may sound ambitious, but for Puhos Board (UK) Ltd, it’s essential to differentiate the company in the market place.
In Finland, Puhos Board Oy manufactures 300,000m3 of high quality chipboard. Around 60% of this is exported, the majority to Puhos in the UK, which is building a reputation as one of the most innovative manufacturers in the industry.
“As the only major importer of T&G chipboard, and with a quality regime placing our products firmly at the top end of the price spectrum, Puhos has always needed a strategy to counter a tendency in the UK for chipboard to be regarded as a commodity,” said managing director Andy Moore.
“Our philosophy sees customer value driving the business. In this scenario products become solutions. Service adds convenience and time for customers to concentrate their own resources elsewhere. Combine this with confidence in the highest quality standards and the result is a customer perception of excellent value for money. For us this is marketing. It is at the heart of our business strategy and brings implications which have shaped the entire structure of Puhos in the UK.”
First and foremost, product development takes centre stage. Having identified flooring in the housebuilding sector as the market with the highest potential, Puhos constantly researches construction methods and product performance to seek opportunities for better solutions.
This has created a second Puhos differential, according to Mr Moore. “Partnerships with complementary businesses have resulted in a consistent ability for Puhos to punch above its weight in R&D, manufacturing expertise and logistics performance,” he said.
The best example of the Puhos strategy is its Weather Dek series of products, the latest of which, Weather Dek2 Fast-Fix, was the vehicle for Puhos to win TTJ’s Excellence in Marketing Award for 2005. The TTJ judges noted that the branding and livery made the product stand out, and “the campaign successfully combined PR, advertising, customer events, sponsorship and practical sales support materials”.
Weather Dek is a Puhos solution for housebuilders to construct upper floors prior to roof construction. It consists of P5 or P7 chipboard panels with a heavy-duty film bonded to the surface. The concept provides full temporary weather protection, a safe working platform and allows work to continue below, even in poor weather. It saves up to three working days per unit and is now used by four of the top five UK housebuilders.
The Fast-Fix version, launched last year, is designed as a complete system, combined with engineered floor beams. It was developed with UK manufacturing partner Preseal Boards which sources the specialist film and a unique adhesive, part of a complete range of fixing accessories. The adhesive allows floor panels to be fixed directly to engineered beams and provides a damping effect which improves sound insulation and eliminates annoying squeaks.
Puhos has also developed a close relationship with Weyerhaeuser‘s Trus Joist engineered floor beam business, initially as another partner in developing the potential for Weather Dek. More recently, however, Puhos has become the sole UK supply partner for the extensive range of Trus Joist engineered joists.
Puhos and its logistics partner Transit Medway, which operates a port facility, warehousing and distribution depot at Rochester, are ideally suited to Trus Joist, offering a complementary relationship with timber trade distributors and housebuilders. With Preseal Boards also located at the Rochester site, chipboard shipments from Finland, UK manufacturing, transport and Trus Joist wholesaling are all positioned to service not only the south-east but with fast access across the country.
For many companies, marketing is primarily about creating high profile communications campaigns which make an impact. Of course, effective communication is vital for Puhos and, through its long relationship with marketing consultancy WSM Wordsworth, much attention is paid to advertising, sales promotion, its website and encouraging positive media comment. For Puhos, however, marketing will always start with the way the whole business is structured and its continuing ambition to develop new and better solutions for customers.
