Metalcolour – 50 years of Flexibility

For 50 years Metalcolour has provided the highest quality of film laminated metals for cruise ship interiors to the marine industry. Right from the start they understood that “Flexibility is King”, and it is a vital part of how the company presents itself. Logistics Manager at Metalcolour Sweden, Johan Richardsson, emphasises the importance of anchoring the goals for flexibility in all aspects of the business.
“We work hard to ensure that everyone in the business is involved and aware of what our targets are and what our partners expect from us,” says Johan.
“We do everything we can to meet our customer’s requirements, and at the same time are careful not to promise something we cannot achieve. It is a balancing act that I think we are very good at.”

Johan has worked at Metalcolour for 30 years and his team consists of three people. He himself is responsible for procurement, purchase of raw materials and production planning. Peter Modliba manages customer support, order registration and provides customers with product samples, alongside him is Maria Rosenquist who mainly manages deliveries.
“During my years at Metalcolour, I have also worked within marketing and been the site manager. I have had my current role for about 10 years and it’s great, ”says Johan.

Flexibility provides value.

Metalcolour sees itself not only as a product supplier but also a partner offering benefits that the customer is not initially expecting.
“We have noticed that the earlier we engage in the customer’s process the better the outcome. We are able to develop an extended dialogue which generates far better opportunities to present alternative options and ensure raw materials are in place when it’s time for production ”.
The most important raw materials for Metalcolour are steel, aluminum and laminated foils, and top class suppliers play a vital role in the Metalcolour process.
“Good relationships with the best suppliers is equally as important as good customer relationships. We have established a mutual trust and by sharing our predictions with each other, can create better conditions to always have the right raw materials in stock, ” says Johan.
Inventory is one of Metalcolour’s major challenges. The delivery time on raw materials from their suppliers is 6-12 weeks.
“Our delivery time to the customer is normally two weeks, depending on the size of the order. This means it is extremely important for us to have the right articles in our warehouse. It’s here we benefit from the strong relationships and open dialogues we have with both suppliers and clients ”.

Orders from 10 to 350,000 m²

Thanks to the composition of its production equipment, Metalcolour is very flexible with order sizes.
“For the latest cruise ship project, we delivered about 350,000 m², but we are also able take orders as small as 10 m² for more specific projects,” says Johan.
Another increasingly important aspect of the business is the ability to quickly provide the customer with product samples consisting of exactly the same metal base and design that is is required. Peter Modliba in Customer Support, has this as one of his responsibilities.
“It has a high priority and it’s always highly appreciated. It adds great value to collaborations and relationships with customers in general, ” says Peter.

Flexibility, a great asset for the sales team

Per Nord works as Sales Manager for Western & Northern Europe and Americas and believes that Metalcolour’s flexibility provides great competitive advantages and is highly beneficial in his work.
“Our approach is something our existing customers have learned to appreciate, and new customers sometimes think is too good to be true. All our Dobel® products come with a Service & Quality Guarantee which is truly unique in today’s market ”.

Everyone contributes

The fact that Johan feels very proud that Metalcolour is such a significant player in the marine sector is clear.
“We are a comparatively small company with solid reputation in the industries we work for and we hav a delivery performance that very few companies can match. I am both impressed and proud of the professional skills and commitment that our employees possess, ” concludes Johan.