Salmson supports its customers in successfully transitioning to the new ErP regulations

With the new European ErP directive, the manufacture and marketing of energy class A circulators will be mandatory from January 1, 2013. This development will transform the activity and installation habits of plumbers/heating engineers.

Salmson, a major player in the field of pumps and pumping systems, is supporting its customers through this development. To inform all market players about the directive's impact, Salmson is launching a Customer Program, geared toward tradespeople, and is organizing Customer Meetings, distributor meetings, and tradesperson road shows.

1°) The Customer Program

· A preliminary audit of the needs of artisans

A study carried out by Salmson in 2010, among 900 craftsmen in 4 departments in France, revealed that:

- 70% were not aware of the ErP regulations.

- 80% had never installed Class A circulators.

- 80% wanted to maintain a direct relationship with the manufacturer.

Further meetings were held to identify the expectations of the artisans. These meetings revealed three priority needs:

- Technical assistance.

- Training.

- Regular information on market news.

 The 3 components of the Customer Program:

These services are available free of charge to all SalmsonPASS members.

- The "Red Thread": this technical unit aims to provide technical support to tradespeople by answering questions relating to installation, maintenance, or interchangeability issues. It is accessible via a toll-free number, communicated to members.

- Dedicated training courses on heating, overpressure, and domestic water pumping. These courses allow tradespeople to update and refine their technical and regulatory knowledge. The training sessions, delivered by Salmson experts, will take place in the region at partners' locations (Distributors or Capeb). Salmson will use test benches to illustrate the main theoretical aspects.

- Regular information distributed to members through newsletters and a dedicated website.

2) Customer Meetings

The year 2011 will be punctuated by major events, focused on exchanges with distributors and artisans, in order to present to them the challenges of regulation, new products and services.

- Distribution Meetings

- The Artisan Road Shows

Distribution Meetings

Prior to the launch of the Customer Program, Salmson wanted to bring together its distribution partners to raise their awareness of its objectives and present its action plan for 2015.

These meetings took place in Paris (March 3) and Lyon (March 18). Distributors were able to attend a presentation, which was followed by a joint lunch.

Artisan Road Shows

These events, bringing together several hundred artisans, aimed to meet artisans in the region.

- The first Road-Show took place in Rennes (April 5).

- The second Road-Show took place in Bordeaux (April 28).

Scheduled for the end of the day, these road shows provided an opportunity to showcase product and service solutions to effectively meet the ErP Directive. Following the presentation, the tradespeople were shown the products and test benches, installed in a showroom.

A dinner was held, followed by a performance by comedian Eric Antoine. Other Artisan meetings will take place in the second half of 2011.

About Salmson's Building Division

SALMSON is a French SAS (simplified joint stock company) with capital of
€16, integrated into the German group WILO SE. Based in Chatou, the company has 775 employees, including 000 at the Laval production site (790 - Mayenne).

SALMSON designs, manufactures, markets and maintains pumps and pumping systems.

SALMSON serves three markets: construction, the water cycle, and industry. Its offering, one of the most comprehensive on the market, covers almost all requirements in climate control, the water cycle, processes, and peri-process engineering. Construction is SALMSON's traditional market.

SALMSON offers domestic and collective products and solutions for:

- Climate engineering and heating: circulators, pumps, etc.

- Distribution, supply/pressure boosting: surface and submersible pumps, horizontal and vertical multi-cell pumps, etc.

- Lifting: pumps and modules for clear and dirty water...

- Collective sanitation: drainage water, kitchen water, wastewater, etc.

Additional information: www.salmson.com

Press contact

Yucatan Agency - Céline Bernard

Tel: 01 53 63 27 20 - cbernard@yucatan.tm.fr

www.yucatan.fr