- The medium-sized commercial vehicle parts dealer impresses for the second time in a row in the TOP 100 innovation competition
- Pioneer in digitalization and communication
- EUROPART breaks new ground with employee app, fan news TV, sustainable products and exceptional partnerships
- Use of environmentally friendly technology reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions
EUROPART has been awarded the TOP 100 seal for the second time in a row. Europe's leading trading company for commercial vehicle parts and workshop equipment, with its headquarters in Hagen and a network of 300 sales outlets in 27 European countries, is thus once again one of the most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany in 2022. In this year's TOP 100 competition, EUROPART impressed the top-class jury with a wealth of measures that are out of the ordinary for retail companies in the business customer segment.
"The repeated award of the TOP 100 seal once again demonstrates EUROPART's sustained innovative strength," said a delighted Olaf Giesen, CEO of EUROPART. "Behind this achievement and the many innovations is a dedicated team of highly motivated and highly competent employees who work passionately every day to meet the needs of our customers. I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to them."
High award based on science
EUROPART had undergone a scientific selection process for the Top 100 competition. On behalf of compamedia, the organizer of the innovation competition, innovation researcher Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke and his team examined the innovative strength of all participating companies on the basis of around 100 test criteria from five categories: Innovation-promoting top management, innovation climate, innovative processes and organization, external orientation/open innovation and innovation success. The scientists examined whether innovations in the company are the result of a planned approach or a product of chance.
The sheer number of innovative ideas that EUROPART has implemented in practice or will implement in the near future shows that innovations are an integral part of corporate strategy. And not just in marketing, but also in digitization, in the involvement and networking of employees, in the inclusion of innovative, sustainable products in the product range, and even in unusual partnerships with which EUROPART presents itself to truck fleet operators as a provider of innovative solutions, even outside the classic spare parts business.
New approaches to employee and customer communication
For a year now, EUROPART employees have been able to use their own employee app to network with each other across locations and countries, call up messages or take part in video conferences. "With the employee app, we can reach all our employees at any time - regardless of whether they are working at their desks, in the warehouse or on the road," explains Olaf Giesen. In recent months, EUROPART has continued to expand this successful tool. EUROPART locations in 11 European countries are now connected to the network. An integrated translation program supports communication. A corporate benefit program for employees can now be found in the app, as can EUROPART's idea and innovation management. "In the last 12 months alone, our employees have submitted more than 150 suggestions for improvement and innovative ideas through this channel, 98 percent of which we have already implemented or tackled - a complete success," reports CEO Olaf Giesen.
EUROPART has also found innovative ways to communicate with customers and has pushed ahead strongly with the strategic expansion of online marketing, especially with new video formats. EUROPART has specially converted a semi-trailer into a mobile TV studio, in which entertaining videos on interesting product and industry topics are now regularly produced together with important supplier partners. The result is called Fan-News TV and can be seen at www.vollblut.net/fan-news-tv, among other places. More than 500,000 visitors have already followed the EUROPART Fan-News TV contributions via the website and on various social media channels.
Sustainable and innovative products lead to moreCO2 and fuel savings
The fact that innovation at EUROPART does not stop at the delivery range is shown by the example of Green Energy solar modules. The Mobile-Integrated-Photovoltaic-Technology (MIPV) developed in Denmark by Green Energy Scandinavia enables highly flexible, impact- and break-resistant solar cells that are only three millimeters flat and are ideally suited for mobile applications such as trucks, buses, vans or motorhomes. Unlike conventional silicon cells, the new cell technology also generates electricity even at the lowest light intensity.
The solar modules mounted on the vehicle roof support the vehicle battery with sufficient power to supply common consumers such as coffee machines, televisions or refrigerators. But the cells not only supply energy when the vehicle is stationary, but also while driving. This relieves the load on the engine-driven generator and reduces the vehicle's fuel consumption.
EUROPART not only supplements its product range with this environmentally friendly technology, but has also become Green Energy's exclusive sales partner for Europe. The first projects with major customers have already begun.
Innovative partnerships as drivers for greater appreciation and sustainability
Green Energy solar technology also forms a building block in the unusual but innovative cooperation with the start-up company roatel. Against the backdrop of the European mobility package, including the ban on spending the regular weekly rest period in a vehicle, the company roatel GmbH has developed micro-hotels with a high level of comfort and living quality that are easy to install and are therefore also suitable for company yards, for example. In a first test phase, the Green Energy solar modules distributed by EUROPART will supply a roatel, including 4 sleeping units, with electricity. At the same time, the project partners are working on a sustainable technology concept to increase efficiency and optimize energy. In addition, EUROPART wants to support roatel in future with location marketing, for example with large transport companies or workshop customers with sufficiently large parking spaces. EUROPART CEO Olaf Giesen: "We see roatel as a great solution for many professional drivers who spend days on end on Europe's roads. Our solar cell solution also allows us to make the roatel concept even more ecological."
Digital ordering and consulting system EWOS to be further expanded
Last but not least, digitalization has been the subject of continuous development and innovation at EUROPART for years. On the one hand, these serve to simplify and accelerate processes, and on the other hand, to constantly improve functionality and benefits for customers. For example, the EUROPART online ordering and consulting system EWOS today not only offers fast and reliable parts identification based on the chassis number.
The user can also easily compare articles, calculate prices, call up fleet data as well as invoices and delivery bills in real time - seven days a week, around the clock. In addition, EWOS provides repair instructions, working times, maintenance schedules as well as inspection and adjustment values. In the version for mobile devices, the camera also serves as an item scanner and offers other practical functions, such as uploading photos. In the latest version, it is even possible to find the right oils for every commercial vehicle based on manufacturer, model and type, including information on change intervals and filling quantities.
EUROPART has upgraded EWOS not only in terms of functions, but also in terms of content. Thanks to extensive data from around 130 new sources, the ordering and consulting system now includes almost 2.2 million articles, 35 million references and almost 1.5 million article images. In addition, new interfaces enable easy connection to customers' merchandise management systems.
"Innovations are not an end in themselves for us," emphasizes EUROPART CEO Olaf Giesen. "Rather, innovations are the basis for our successful future. That's why we will continue to invest in innovative ideas and technologies - for the benefit of our customers and our more than 1,700 employees. The fact that we have been awarded the TOP 100 seal as one of the 100 most innovative companies in Germany for the second time in a row is proof that we are on the right track with this strategy."
