Insight

For more than a quarter of a century Visimpex-Hungary has prioritised innovation as one of the driving forces in the development of its products, capabilities and business – enabling it to become a significant supplier within eastern Europe.

Established in 1997, Visimpex-Hungary Ltd specialises in the wholesale of fastening products and industry auxiliary materials both in Hungary and the eastern European region. “As a business we want to stand out from the competition,” states Visimpex-Hungary. “We have been able to do this by becoming a fastener wholesaler with one of the largest stocks in the region, as well as guaranteeing delivery within 24 hours in Hungary and ensuring fast shipping in neighbouring countries too.”

Since it was founded, Visimpex-Hungary has looked to innovate wherever possible, in order to continue to create new opportunities for the business to grow and develop. “We are constantly striving to innovate in the field of commercial fasteners,” explains Visimpex-Hungary. “A prime example was within the wood working sector where we introduced the Woodstar screw more than 10 years ago, which has become our trademarked brand. The screw, with a special design that ensures fast and accurate installation, is a popular choice among discerning woodworkers.”

The company adds: “The essence of innovation is that there is no time to stop or to sit back. Our developers are constantly working, and as a result, we have recently launched several products and solutions into the market.”

Another innovation within the company’s product range is the VISIMPEX SOLAR system, which was introduced to the market in 2010. “We were one of the first to design, manufacture and distribute solar mounting structures, and we have become one of the market leaders of this segment in Hungary,” highlights Visimpex-Hungary. “Another product that we have introduced to the renewables market is the adjustable outdoor heat pump and air conditioning unit brackets, which are proving popular.”

In the near future, Visimpex-Hungary plans to manufacture more products in-house, if the right opportunities present themselves. “As a business we will still import products from Asia, as neither Hungarian nor other European manufacturers can compete with Asian manufacturers when it comes to product availability and price,” states the business. “We are, of course, constantly looking for opportunities to find closer sources, because it is important for us to have a quick and stable supply of products. As part of this, we will continue to manufacture the VISIMPEX SOLAR system and look to add further products where possible.” 

In addition to developing its product portfolio, Visimpex-Hungary has also looked to develop the services it can provide customers, including a highly user-friendly webshop, which is available in English, German and Hungarian. “The webshop has made a big impact on the market for us as it gives us a competitive advantage, as orders can be placed nonstop, in only a few minutes, with unprecedented flexibility,” underlines the company. “This means that customers can enquire about products at any time and get immediate answers. Of course, if they prefer personal contact, we can also speak to them on the phone – in English, German, Hungarian, and Romanian, whether it be for a quotation, an order or expert advice.”

The next step for Visimpex-Hungary is to once again broaden its customer base to neighbouring countries across Europe. “In 2017, which was also the 20^th anniversary of Visimpex-Hungary, we decided that the time had come for the business to grow its clientele to the neighbouring countries and as soon as we did this, our export sales took off. Thanks to our large stocks, and favourable sales prices, we were exceptionally well received in the Romanian, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian and Austrian markets. Unfortunately, from 2020 onwards, the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative impact on our export sales. Whilst exports slowed, there was an increased demand in the domestic market, as our large stocks enabled us to provide a continuous supply of goods. However, now that the pandemic is over, we are once again looking at how we can grow our export sales and establish ourselves within local geographic markets.”

In order to continue to expand and meet the needs of its customers, Visimpex-Hungary is looking to build a new logistics centre, with the company already purchasing land outside of Győr, situed to the north of Hungary close to the boarder with Slovakia. 

“In 2003 we built our current logistics centre in the industrial park of Győr, which is halfway between Vienna and Budapest. Since then, we have expanded the facility in two phases so that it now covers an area of around 3,100m². However, the space is once again proving to be too small to work. So much so that since 2022 we have been renting an additional warehouse to accommodate our wide stock range. That is why we have purchased four hectares of land right outside of Győr, near the exit of the motorway that connects Vienna and Budapest. On the site we plan to build one of the most modern technology centres in the central and eastern European region, which will provide customers with even faster and more stable service than today, both within and beyond our borders,” concludes Visimpex-Hungary.