Before Ducker UK was even an unhatched chick, considerable market research was conducted to determine what the laundry industry in the UK and Ireland really wanted from a new distributor of laundry equipment/provider of service support.

“The market research was conducted independently. It determined the needs of the market and what our new company should target, where we should put our resources and where we should put emphasis,” Mr Ducker says.

“The research looked at our existing position—of what the market thought of Ducker Engineering and Supertrack, their personnel, image, products and service.”

Feedback

There was positive feedback that the marketplace liked the existing family business image and the products offered. Identified was how launderers were keen to buy quality machines from Continental Europe—this spurred Mr Ducker and colleagues to begin putting in place distributorship arrangements.

In the lead up to the launch of Ducker UK, on 7 September, a carefully devised direct mail marketing campaign was meticulously arranged.

Featured were a succession of “teaser” cards designed to stimulate a high degree of curiosity among launderers as to what was about to be unveiled.

Mr Ducker worked closely with the marketing company engaged to develop a new logo and the marketing theme. Considerable attention to detail has been given to branding.

Even the packing tape used in the parts despatch department of Ducker UK carries the company’s logo.