Sustainably growth with Quooker and Sunshower

Focus Area

Quooker, Sunshower and Confed have been working together since 2010. Michael explains that they selected Confed because they want Sunshower to be able to focus on what they do best: research and development, marketing and sales: “We’re pleased with how things are going at the moment. Initially, we had a traditional customer-supplier relationship, but about six years ago we stepped up our current collaboration. Since then, the three of us have been looking at how we can keep improving things. How can we empower even more people? Simply by identifying what they’re good at and supporting them where necessary.”

Sunshower

Confed’s social ethos ties in perfectly with Sunshower’s mission. The company manufactures light panels that emit infrared and low-dose UV light whilst you shower, providing warmth, relaxation and an energy boost. ‘Happy people’ – that’s what Sunshower is all about. And by that, they mean not only their customers, but also the people they work with. Such as the team at Confed in Dordrecht, which handles the entire assembly of Sunshowers.

No compromises on quality

Michiel, speaking on behalf of Quooker, emphasises the business side of the partnership. “Our aim is international growth, so we make no compromises on quality,” he states firmly. “Confed has now become one of our best suppliers. And we have around 180 of them.” Quooker set up part of the production floor at Confed itself. “Including the machinery, work instructions, quality controls – you name it,” Michiel continues. “It’s great for us that we don’t have to carry out the assembly work in our own factory. That would require an enormous amount of space. Now we’ve outsourced this, and in a socially responsible way too.”

Quooker

For anyone unfamiliar with Quooker: this Dutch family-run business made its name with the launch of the boiling-water tap. Today, more than 300,000 of these taps are sold each year, and the company generates an annual turnover of 400 million euros. Quooker aims to produce high-quality, sustainable products, but in a socially responsible way. They like to work with suppliers who share these values, such as Confed. The Confed site in Dordrecht handles numerous sub-assemblies for Quooker, as well as the assembly of the Quooker soap dispenser.

Risks

The gentlemen do not consider it risky in the slightest to outsource product assembly to a company that also offers employment opportunities to people for whom finding a job is not a given – such as people with disabilities and refugees with recognised status. They describe Confed as a transparent, reliable and committed partner who will always look at what is possible. “You can really rely on them, even when you ask difficult questions,” emphasises Michiel. “For instance, we’ve experienced a significant growth spurt in recent years, which meant that at one point we needed 6,500 parts in a single week. That seemed unachievable, but shortly afterwards the business unit manager got back to us to say he’d sorted it out. That’s really the Confed way of thinking.”

Delivery reliability

Michiel recalls that, back in the early days, he once pointed out to Confed Dordrecht that they really ought to have a KPI for delivery reliability. He laughs: “And sure enough, it was in place shortly afterwards. If you look at Confed’s delivery reliability and quality now, they’re incredibly high. They hardly ever make a mistake, because they build in lots of layers of checks. As a result, the output is always good. I enjoy our collaboration and being able to contribute ideas. It’s all so relaxed. And the business unit manager in Dordrecht is what you’d call the right man in the right place. He’s all about moving forward and keeps the shop running come rain or shine. By now, Quooker wouldn’t be able to exist without Confed either.”

Price

The gentlemen do emphasise, however, that it took energy and dedication from all three sides to get Confed to where it is today. Michael: “We have established a model based on mutual dependence. We have all taken on that responsibility. But it really has been a matter of investing upfront in getting to know each other’s needs and expectations. To do that, the conversation has to be about much more than just the price.”

Growth

The outlook for both Quooker and Sunshower is positive for the coming years. Quooker is seeing its turnover continue to rise year on year and aims to expand further internationally. Sunshower expects to reach the magic figure of one million daily users of its shower panels by 2030. At the same time, Michael hopes that Confed will enable many more people to find paid employment. “There are still so many candidates who remain on the sideline. For example, because they have a disability that companies find difficult to accommodate. Someone who works from a wheelchair, for instance, needs a height-adjustable chair, and someone with a weaker arm needs an exoskeleton. That costs money, but there’s also a business case for it,” he emphasises.

Satisfaction

Michiel shares Michael’s view and adds: “If there’s one thing that’s good for a person, it’s paid work. It brings so much satisfaction. That’s why I personally cherish our partnership with Confed. I’m delighted to see them grow. So, whenever I come across a new, suitable task in production that can be carried out in Dordrecht, I immediately say: ‘Send it to Confed.’”