Remko Papenburg, Sonic Equipment: “Playing chess on several boards”

Remko Papenburg: We recorded double-digit growth this year, mainly driven by organic growth. In other words, we are gaining market share in countries where we are already well established, starting with Europe, which accounts for 60% of our sales. We have reinforced our footprint in Scandinavia, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, France and a few other Northern European countries. At the same time, we are seeking to develop our operations in the United States, the world's largest market, where we can gain a foothold in more sectors than in Europe, where our business remains overwhelmingly automotive-centric. In the USA, we also work in the areas of technical education, aviation and industry. So we’ve got a positive outlook on the market, this year and next, where we're also aiming for double-digit growth.

R. P.: It's a little more difficult because Europe is more concentrated, with different countries and all the national regulations. Europe also means different languages, and sometimes even different currencies! Even within the European Union, each country has its own identity, so it's more difficult to deploy to different sectors as we do in the USA. Nevertheless, we operate in different segments in Europe too, such as agriculture, for example, with a very solid customer base in Germany. In Scandinavia, we're working with the airline Finnair, but this diversification is not as developed as it is across the Atlantic.

R. P.: Firstly, there's the global agreement that we signed in 2011 with the Volkswagen Group, which has a worldwide network across over 100 different countries. One of the reasons we can work together with a global group is that Sonic is also established in over 60 countries. With this global listing, Sonic Equipment can promote its products in countries where we are less active but where Volkswagen is present, such as Central America, South America, parts of Asia and the Middle East. This means we can look beyond mature, ultra-competitive markets. We also work with electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla and BYD. As they build up their respective networks, we work with them to ensure that their workshops have the right tools to be efficient, productive and profitable.

R. P.: On the contrary, they add value! For Sonic Equipment, the EV market is, like agriculture, aviation or marine, a new market. We work closely with the manufacturers (Tesla, BYD, Lucid, etc.) because, ultimately, an electric vehicle also has an interior, exterior, wheels, brakes... Components that move and are liable to be replaced. I don't see electrification as a threat, but rather as a tremendous opportunity!

R. P.: Sonic pioneered the combination of tools and storage solutions. This has been the basis of our success for twenty years. In 2011, after the toolboxes, we launched a stationary storage solution, which turned out to be a little too far ahead of market habits. It took us several years to persuade professionals to work this way, with a “stationary kitchen” for pros in combination with our tools. But since 2015-2016, we've noticed that customers are becoming increasingly sensitive to this type of solution, to the point where they now account for 35% of our sales. MSS, the new self-supporting storage offer launched in 2025, is based on more than ten years of research and feedback from the field in terms of workshop habits and usage.

R. P.: There's certainly enough room for all types of players. But it's true that tools are an emotional product: professionals work with them day after day. They are generally attached to a brand, which is very important for understanding the market. Sonic Equipment is working to build a brand that meets the expectations of these professionals, and thus benefits from their recognition. What makes us special is that we offer toolboxes filled with toolsets, so if a particular tool happens to break, the customer will want to replace it with a tool from the same brand to get a complete set!
So yes, some people may prioritise price, depending on how they will use the tool. Sonic is committed to presenting its tools through its sales force in the field and at trade shows. The aim is to highlight our added value, which should enable them to do their job better and more easily, saving them time and therefore money. Some people may try buying online; many come back to us because they don't get the same quality... not to mention the service! But we're also investing in digital with our website, where professionals can find all our ranges, see what we do and what we are capable of doing. They can also buy products online, although the price is set so as not to compete with the local distributor. It's an additional service, not an attempt to slash prices on the web.

R. P.: To hit our targets, we're going to push even harder, particularly on the French market, which is experiencing strong growth. So we've just taken on additional staff to strengthen the team and give the Sonic Equipment brand more exposure in France. At the same time, we made an acquisition this year by incorporating our Swiss distributor. This new subsidiary should help us to further consolidate our presence on the market. And 2025 will also be an opportunity to develop our activities in the United States, where we are expanding our team to include 30 new colleagues. In Germany, we're also adding various resellers to the network to promote our products. We're playing chess on several boards.