Oli Vibrators has started expanding rapidly in NSW. ABHR sat down with the company’s sales manager responsible for growing the new market.
When you need it, where you need it. This strategy has led Italy-based Oli Vibrators to expand across the world, setting up dozens of trading subsidiaries – including in Australia.
The branch, located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, supplies a range of vibrators and flow aids for all manner of industries.
Oli is looking to grow. Costa Pegios has been tasked with establishing the company in New South Wales. With more than three years in the industry and extensive experience with the construction sector, Pegios said he is excited about the task.
“With the size of NSW and the amount of manufacturing that goes on in the state, it’s extremely important to have a presence here,” he told ABHR.
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“We’ve typically focused our time in Victoria. There’s a lot of potential here to make a real impact.”
Initially, Pegios met with existing clients in the region, along with his own contacts, letting them know Oli Vibrators is ready to help solve any flow problems they may be facing.
In many cases, the staff running a production line won’t have the in-depth knowledge and engineering skills to find the right solution. That’s why education has become an important first step.
One of the most common problems Pegios found is hammer rash on the bases of bins and hoppers. When flow stops or slows, one of the simplest solutions is to strike the equipment with a large hammer.
This can get the material flowing again, but it comes at a serious cost. Constantly hitting expensive assets with a hammer causes damage to the system, leaving dents that can cause even worse hangups. In extreme cases, hammer rash can lead to catastrophic failure and puts workers at serious risks.
“I once had a customer that was coating popcorn kernels with salt. The problem was the salt came out of the bags in bricks. They had someone sitting at the base of hopper, smacking it with a mallet,” he said.
“A vibrator or flow aid saves people from thousands of dollars in terms of damaged assets, not including downtime for repairs.
“After installing our devices, the customer said they wanted to frame the hammer and never use it again.”
Pegios visits his client’s plants to spot the tell-tale signs of flow issues. If there are any, he discusses strategies with the customer before helping find a solution.
His experience in the industry means he can quickly notice when similar issues arise, and the ways to fix it. Quite often, the importance of flow aids isn’t front of mind for the company’s customers, which is why having a fresh pair of eyes on site is so important.
Pegios aims to establish an office and warehouse in Sydney. He is currently supported by the team in Melbourne, which have dozens of years in combined experience.
“Our general manager, Mark Thompson, is only a phone call away and has amazing knowledge about the industry,” he said.
“The journey in NSW has just begun. It’s been great to meet with our customers and to let them know we’re here to help.”