Creating a new brand from scratch is a daunting prospect, but Owlett-Jaton's JRP has made a big impact in just five years. Torque Magazine quizzes Technical Support Specialist Warren Keeley on the beginnings and future of Jaton Riveting Products.
From day one
Warren Keeley: My role is purely technical support. I was brought in initially to help develop the brand.
I'd owned a company for over 30 years. After selling the business, Tony Williams (Owlett-Jaton Sales Director) who I've known for over 30 years saw the news on LinkedIn and got in touch. Owlett-Jaton is a big organisation and they've obviously got all the contacts and know where to go to buy product from, but they were looking for some extra expertise on a new rivet brand. That's where I came in.
So, I was pretty much there from the start with JRP. I came in as a Technical Consultant and put the technical specs together, put the range together and I was involved in things like the logo design.
Owlett-Jaton's premise was to develop something along the same kind of business model as they had with JCP (Jaton Construction Products). Starting from scratch, I said it’d take around 18 months. We were doing factory audits in October 2019, selecting our chosen partners, and then Amy Baker (Head of Marketing) and her team then came in. I worked with them to produce the catalogue, packaging...
Then we launched on the day of the first Covid lockdown! I was doing branch training but we had to stop because every- one was getting sent home.
What was it like to help guide something from the beginning into a big brand?
It was brilliant because starting a new brand with the support of a multi-million-pound business behind you was great. It's been, personally, really satisfying. You can watch an embryo of the brand develop and I was extremely confident it was going to take off, because I thought we got the right mix of product.
Initially we only launched hand tools to support the range. but we got to see prototype battery tools while we were doing the factory audits, so that was in the pipeline. But you have to walk before you can run. You need to establish sales before you start trying to get them to spend any more money. Effectively. every addition I proposed got backed, with no questions. I've dealt with quite a lot of CEOs, but Owlett-Jaton's Ian Doherty always has a lot to say. He's the best Chief Exec I've ever had the pleasure to work with and for.
It was a big investment, putting the stock in and everything else, and then it has just exploded. Within about six months we were already adding new ranges.
Owlett-Jaton as an organisation can get a single box of products out quickly to anywhere in the UK, and that's a huge selling point. If you've got thousands of product lines and someone is ordering a range of fasteners, it is quite easy for them to add a box of JRP product to their order.
There are riveting names out there already, but having Owlett- Jaton behind this one is a big deal. They are so trusted by distributors. Particularly during the Covid lockdowns, that trust counted for a lot and JRP snowballed during those Covid years.
Now we've got 1,300 lines of JRP. It's huge. They put their money where their mouth was, invested in the stock and offered a vast range to their customers.
Brand launched, now what?
We've added just over 400 lines in three years. The latest expansion of the range range is the rivet nuts. With those, we knew there were certain market sectors we could go and approach. But you've got to do it in stages.
Range extensions can be from customer feedback and distributors, and obviously if we get approached for products we don't do, we log it on the system.
We've done branch training, and more extensive training with Area Sales Managers as they're at the coal face. Especially since the battery tools range as that's a bit more involved.
Now the brand has gone from something new in the market sector, it is five years on and we're not the new kids on the block anymore. We're established and obviously ruffled a few feathers when we first launched. But we've had very positive feedback and it's really pleasant to get that from the market.
The comparison tool
We launched a comparison tool for JRP, for every product we sell. I spent quite a few months putting together competitor part numbers against our individual product lines, for the whole JRP range of tools, rivet nuts and rivets.
This product comparison tool allows you to enter a competitor part number into the search field. If there's a direct equivalent to what we can offer, it gives you the corresponding JRP part number and a link to then click for information or to go and order it. Obviously it will develop further as we add products to the range. This has also highlighted just how wide the range we're offering is, compared to competitors.
What's the plan for JRP?
Just like any organisation, there are targets in terms of sales, with certain markers. From where I'm sitting, it has exploded, but you can't sit on your laurels. We're constantly reviewing market sectors.
The battery tools have been another hugely successful part of the range, they underwent a lot of market testing and were put through some worst-case scenarios to see how they coped. We then went back to the factory and asked them to put a design change in to create some really good tools. The rivet nut tools are more complex than the rivet tools as they have to spin clockwise, move backwards and forwards, and then anti clock- wise to set one rivet nut. In one case, we found that operators were manually changing the settings on the tool and then using it in too high or too low for setting for the application. which was causing issues where they were getting some loose nuts in applications. We adjusted the design to add a locking mechanism, so most operators can't change the setting. That almost became a failsafe which helps with less likely tool or production issues. The settings are all visual in bright lights, so we make it as easy as possible with specific applications for an end user.
Not only does it make it really easy for supervisors, managers and owners to see if somebody on the shop floor has messed with that product, but it also aids the distributor if they've got an issue with their customer, the end user, and they know specifically what that tool was set for. You know, you've only got to go and touch the power button and everything lights up and tells you if it's correct or incorrect, right? But not only that, it's a fantastic aid for the end user that you know they're putting work instructions for every application they've got within the factory.
We have supported the distributor in going to the end user and then setting up every single tool, at every single setting cell. And I'm now doing more and more support with distributors, looking at applications and then re-engineering or helping with production issues.
We've developed things like training videos and instruction videos for the battery tooling, which we're adding soon. There'll be a QR code label inside the box leading to the instruction videos and they'll have to register the tool serial number to validate the warranty.
We compare well with some of the bigger brands too, especially in terms of weight saving. When you're working with rivet tools, 30% or so lighter tools makes a hell of a difference. It's a major plus point. Hopefully there's further scope to develop the battery tooling range, but that will again be market-led.
Now we've got to a point where I think the brand is firmly established, it's a case that more of my time is working with area sales managers and distributors to help convert business. People now trust the JRP brand.
Breaking habits
Trying to break into another market sector is about breaking habits and getting potential customers to think again as a business. It's breaking those habitual purchasing habits.
With the additions that we're launching, the range opens up four main sectors that we've been asked by customers to address, including electronics, rail, automotive and the agricultural sectors.
www.owlett-jaton.com
