J: Could you tell me about Raupack and its activities?
R: We're an agent for German manufacturers of packing machinery. We provide them with a British sales network and translate their documents, specifications and parts lists into English. We also deal with the British customers and all their enquiries and correspondence. And we arrange customers' visits to Germany.
J: Mm, that's very interesting. How did this company begin?
R:Before I started Raupack, I worked in sales for eight years for an international company here in the UK. We had to use some small suppliers of packing machinery to complete our product range. But working with both large and small suppliers caused problems. The smaller companies wanted someone to sell only their products, so in 1982 I letf and set up my own company, Raupack Ltd.
J: That was a big step. And how has this compay developed since then?
R: Well, I began selling to the drinks industry. Our suppliers began developing excellent new machines that were technically more advanced than our competitors'. These machines helped us to expand into the food and pharmaceutical industries. And our sales people were very good at understanding and selling these new machines so Raupack got a name for delivering excellent products and providing a service that was fair to both customers and suppliers. Since then turnover has grown to nearly ￡10m a year and our customers now include companies such as SmithKline Beecham, Boots and Glaxo. We moved into these new offices last year and at the moment we're looking for new staff to help the company grow further.
J: Very good . And the future? How do you see the future?
R: I think technical development is the key to the industry. Companies have to produce and pack more and more specialised goods to satisfy their customers. So, in future, our suppliers'll have to develop their machines technically but without losing any reliability. Our job, of course, is going to be to sell these new mechines and continue to provide the best possible support for both our customers and our suppliers.