"We can count on Kuehne+Nagel and they can count on us"

Have you ever seen the yellow protective columns in parking lots? Or have you noticed detection devices hanging on the columns? Those are Sentry Protection Products. This North American company was looking for partners they could build on, to further expand into the European market. And in Kuehne+Nagel they found a suitable party for fulfillment and distribution. The owner of Sentry, James Ryan, tells more about the company and its relationship with Kuehne+Nagel.

Innovation at the heart of what we do

How can we - based on the needs we see among our customers - continue to innovate and provide even more security in, for example, car parks and warehouses? James and his team deal with that question every day. “About twenty-five years ago, I was marketing manager for a construction company. There I discovered that in large industrial environments, there was a great need for column protection. So, we came up with our first product: a bright yellow column protector, which is energy-absorbing. Then we thought: can we also make a variant for pallet protection? Like that, we continued to innovate. Always based on the customer's needs and the idea of finding simple solutions.”

Thinking along

After working with a transport company for a few years in Europe, Sentry started looking for a new partner for fulfillment and transport. They found that in Kuehne+Nagel. “What I like about Kuehne+Nagel is that they are willing to think along with us. We work from the United States, there is a time difference, and despite that time challenge we like to keep a grip by means of reports. We had good conversations about that. There are plenty of - especially large - companies that say: this is how we do it and not otherwise. But at Kuehne+Nagel, they really listen to you and see how they can help you. That personal touch appeals enormously.” Sentry has since built up a stable market share in Europe, with deliveries in Germany and France, among others. And steps are now being taken towards Eastern Europe. To best serve all of these customers, partners in Europe are also active to help Sentry in areas such as marketing and customer contact.

Same values

According to James, Sentry and Kuehne+Nagel share the same values: “If we agree something with a customer, we want it to be there on time. Timing is important to us and it is important to Kuehne+Nagel as well. We also share a high sense of responsibility. We think efficient and sustainable working is important. If you share the same values as collaborating companies, then you can build a long-term partnership.” What the Sentry owner also appreciates is that, as a relatively small customer, they are treated seriously. “To be fair, we found the switch to Kuehne+Nagel quite exciting, but the great thing is that the personal touch has remained. Kuehne+Nagel is a big party, but they pay attention to all their customers. We can always ask questions, they think along with us and they are well organised”.

Future

How does James see the future? “We have more competition in Europe than in the US. In the beginning, we were not conspicuous enough in the European market; we have caught up with that now, with good partners there. We can count on Kuehne+Nagel and they can count on us. I am confident that we will get a bigger share of the European market.”