Platinum Tooling is now distributing REV gear broaching tools. What brought on this decision?
When I started up the business, I was selling strictly Heimatec live tools, and Heimatec had a broaching tool at that time, which they later decided they didn’t want to produce anymore, so we didn’t have one for some time. Over the years, I continued to get inquiries for this type of application and I finally said, “Well, I think we need to do something about it.” I started doing some research, and I found REV in Italy as an independent company that was a broaching specialist and produced this tool, so I reached out to them and asked them if they’d be interested in working together. REV had limited representation in this country, so we started to formulate a plan to move forward with our relationship.
How long have you been offering the REV gear broaching tools?
We’ve had it for about five years now, and it’s been a very successful addition to our offering here. It fits with what we do perfectly.
What makes the REV gear broaching tools unique to the market?
This is actually my favorite part about it because there are other broaching tools on the market, but REV is the only broaching company that produces a tool like this. Their start was in broaching tools. They design and produce their custom inserts every day and have been doing it for a long time. They have custom grinding machines. They had started out in the broaching business before they developed this tool. I think it’s a really, really important thing because broaching is not like normal chip removal. You’re not rotating an end mill, and the forces of broaching are very different than a lot of machining processes. The fact they understand it really well means they built a tool that works really well for the application.
What particular tools offered by REV makes this addition an ideal match for what you bring to the industry?
They offer a variety of different sizes from 15 millimeters to 65 millimeters. We have a lot of flexibility because they have such a great variety of offerings. We can go on small machines; we can go on big machines. There’s really not a limitation to the machine tools that we can interface with, and that’s the beauty of it. We have live tools for such a great variety of machines, and we get inquiries for a lot of different machine tools, and REV can do that.
You’ve had REV gear broaching tools as part of your inventory for five years, so how are you getting the word out to let the industry know these tools are available?
I think it’s something we’re pretty good at doing here. We have a couple of direct salespeople — including myself — and those salespeople call on a network of reps around the country. We have a lot of personal attention from here where we go and train the reps and even distributors. Our reps and our salesmen are calling on distributors, so
it’s something we talk about — especially to the machine tool people. We also do a lot of work on our website. We’re constantly refreshing the site, adding new copy, new images, videos, and we send out newsletters. We print marketing material and hand it out to distributors. We like working with the whole big picture.
What has been the industry response to this addition? How are customers reacting?
We’ve had a great reaction, and that’s why I’m excited to keep working on it. We’ve sold quite a few units. We have a lot of customers that have multiple units that have bought one or two and then bought more after that.
It’s interesting to me, and I can’t always explain it, how we’re seeing more and more applications with it — maybe because we’ve been promoting it, and people are coming to us. But recently, I did two meetings like this with both a distributor and end user explaining how these tools operate and what we can do. I’m doing a test cut over at DN Solutions with the customer. And in two days, I’m going to see a different customer here in the Chicago area that wants to know about it.
Maybe it’s a combination of the type of work that’s being done and the volume. It’s a high-volume tool, so if you’re doing a lot of parts, this is when it comes into play.
I think there’s a good ability to continue promoting this tool and selling a lot of them.
This is a partnership with REV, correct?
We’re their agent for North America. Like the rest of the tools that we sell, we represent several companies in Europe, and in all cases we’re exclusive importers. That’s really what we are. And we have sold products in Canada and Mexico and the U.S. — all of it. We’re covering North America for them.
REV is an extremely responsive company, and that’s what really helps me. We get answers. We get on the phone with customers, and we help them program; we address an issue. It’s a company I really have a great respect for because they understand what’s going on, and they’re very helpful. I’ve been to the factory, and I like what they do. They’re very professional people, so it’s a good addition for us, and it matches the rest of the machine tool accessories that we sell.
More info: platinumtooling.com
