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Having been in operation globally since 1936 and in the UK for over 40 years , Fujitsu General ( Fujitsu ) is a well-recognised name in the industry . COO , Deane Flint outlines how the company established itself in the UK market . “ Our route to market is predominantly through distributors . We partner with distribution or wholesaling companies , and that ’ s been the approach for many years . Ten to 15 years ago there was a partnership with one of our large European distributors , involving a direct-to-market strategy with the manufacturer selling direct to the installer . While that continues to this day , it is the minority of what we do , accounting for around 20 per cent of our business , with the remaining 80 per cent coming through distribution . On top of this , our distributors are often working directly with the installation specialists .”
As with all well established and mature businesses , there have been some significant challenges along the way . Deane highlights how the company overcame them and continues to build on that success . “ Around 15 years ago the business was temporarily loss making . In recent times the previous COO turned things around and we ’ re a profitable business again . Thanks to that turnaround the business has grown significantly in the last five years , which is a great place to be . The goal is now to see what additional growth we can create for the business .”
Significant opportunties
Having been in the industry since 1981 Deane is well placed to help guide the business towards continued growth . He highlights some key moments in his career that have brought him to where he is today : “ I began as an apprentice , working as a heating , ventilation and air conditioning draftsman , sitting at a desk and drawing up plans of buildings with their heating , cooling and ventilation systems . I then trained in mechanical and electrical engineering , and in 1989 , I moved into sales and eventually began looking after operations in the Northwest of England for Mitsubishi
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