This year, UNEX is celebrating our 50th Anniversary. The industry has changed a lot since Frank Neuwirth opened the company in 1964, and we have changed right along with it. One of the most tangible examples of change in our industry has been the growth of international business. No longer is material handling an American and European-centric industry. All over the world, countries are undergoing or have recently undergone their own “Industrial Revolution.” And with the shift to a goods-based, first world type of economy, these countries increasingly need places like warehouses and distribution centers to store their goods.
Because of this need, we felt that as a company, we were in a great position to capitalize on this growth and provide the storage necessary to make the goods flow. Today, we do business in several international markets including: Canada, Mexico, Latin America, South America and Indonesia. Many of these markets, especially the Southeast Asian markets have a very fast growing middle class and distribution companies have exploded to try to keep up with retail demand. We have found that, like in the United States, carton flow is extremely appealing in these markets. Because labor costs are cheap and automation has a very high initial cost, these markets are mostly focused on manual solutions.
However, developing a presence in these markets did not come without obstacles and some very hard work. There are obvious barriers, like language and time zone differences, that we have to contend with. We also have to find distributors in these markets to work through. Finally, four years ago, UNEX made the decision to get ISO 9001:2008 certified. In doing so, we conformed to the International Standards Organization’s requirements for a quality management system. Our ISO Quality Policy statement is:
“UNEX's mission is to be recognized as the quality leader in providing gravity throughput solutions to the market. To achieve this objective, we are committed to develop and maintain a Quality Management System. The design and manufacturing of our products, as well as the services we provide, will focus on delivering value to our customers.
UNEX's quality policy will foster accountability, employee development and social responsibility throughout our entire organization. Through continual improvement and empowering our employees, UNEX is determined to exceed customer expectations.”
Becoming a player in the international market was a difficult task. However, we feel that it was one of the best decisions we have ever made as a company. For more information about our International offerings and capabilities connect with us on Twitter, Facebook or Google Plus or call us at 1-800-695-SPAN (7726).