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glues, sealants & adhesives
Soudal refreshes brand, releases New DIY patching compound
Soudal has recently extended its gap filler range with Gorilla Pro Gaps Patching Compound, a lightweight, ready-mixed filler formulated to trade standards.
It’s suitable for filling gaps and cracks on interior or exterior surfaces, is ideal for use with plasterboard, and delivers minimal shrinkage. Plus, it can be easily sanded and painted once cured.
Soudal took the new patching compound to a big
trade show in winter and enjoyed a very good response. GM Melanie
Reid says:“It’s an obvious add-on and we’re optimistic about its prospects. It
extends our product range and sales should accelerate in the coming year.
“We’ve also had good uptake, for example, of our new MS Foam, which
shows genuine innovation and is market- leading in its green technology.”
Meanwhile, a complete Gorilla brand refresh is also well underway at Soudal and the roll-out of new product packaging will continue into the new year.
“Our products are well known and well regarded but sometimes they need a new suit,” comments Melanie Reid.
“The look and design reflect ongoing product evolution and our new technology and we’re mindful that yesterday’s customer is not always the future customer.”
www.soudal.co.nz
which part of the supply chain you’re in, there are considerable challenges to be overcome.
Paul O’Reilly says that while Bostik may not have new products to promote just yet, he found the resumption of trade shows and breakfasts was productive this year.
“We did a number of the Carters Conztruct shows and a trade table for store managers at the PlaceMakers conference before restrictions returned.
“While we have a couple of products we were set to bring to market, the launch will probably be pushed back to the first or second quarter of next year.
“Having to fill the pipeline again after a shutdown has had quite an impact and it’s more important to service the market in terms of current requirements.”
In this respect, Bostik’s marketing team has been ramping up its digital presence and engagements with builders and construction companies and, adds Paul O’Reilly: “We’ve seen pretty good engagement levels. It’s going to be the way of the world until the reps are able to get in front of people again.”
SOME VERY BIG HURDLES REMAIN
While our industry pundits are generally upbeat about category prospects, they all admit to having their work cut out tackling logistical challenges.
Paul O’Reilly describes “getting hit left, right and centre with freighting delays and massive cost increases across key raw materials”.
“We’re facing incredibly long lead times for shipping of both raw materials and finished goods. Our procurement team is managing both these and late consignments as well as possible but it’s an ongoing problem.
“However, people are generally understanding of the realities of what is currently happening and that was evident in the reaction to our price rises earlier in the year.”
Melanie Reid agrees, saying: “The reasons for delays and price rises have been well publicised and everyone knows that suppliers are doing all they can in very difficult circumstances.”
Steven Irvine suggests that with most of Dunlop’s customers also importing products, “It has been widely understood that price increases are not contrived for the purpose of simply increasing revenue but more so for the sustainability of our business.
“Earlier this year, the supposition was that the hyper-inflated shipping costs of the previous 12 months could begin to dissipate, and some sort of normality might be restored before the end of the 2021.
“As we now know, this has not proven to be the case. The current outlook is that they will increase for the remainder of the year and into 2022.”
Tony Smith recounts some initial push-back to the unavoidable price rises but this was soon followed by acceptance.
“We’re aware that some of our customers are facing an unprecedented number of price increases across all technologies, products and brands.
“Merchants may not even have adequate staff to deal with all the price increases they’re facing. The level of administration must be phenomenal,” says Tony sympathetically.
And who would bet against further rounds of price increases soon?
Suppliers will have recovered some of their increased costs this year, but one suspects the pressure of additional shipping costs alone is starting to hurt after a softer-than-expected third quarter.
40 NZHJ | OCTOBER 2021
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