With trust and communication at the heart of any relationship between two businesses, Alan Scott Procurement and Asset Management Director at Enigma Industrial Services and David Probert International Sales Director at HAKI give insight into the Enigma and HAKI journey, by discussing the things they’ve picked up along the way and what the future holds for this collaboration.
The longstanding relationship between HAKI and Enigma dates back a few years ago to 2013, when HAKI started to supply products to Enigma on all manner of large programmes of works including the high-profile The Ropeworks construction project at Salamander Place in the heart of the vibrant community of Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland. Enigma also utilises HAKI across the UK on key industrial sites.
United by like-mindedness and commonality, both organisations committed to working closer together in March 2019 and collaborate with the very best intentions. Enigma and HAKI share similar values: safety, quality, collaboration and innovation. Entering into a business partnership was therefore a natural step.
“HAKI and Enigma truly have a shared vision of what the here and now and future looks like,” comments David
“It is very much a partnership; a joint initiative,” adds Alan. “We are always moving forward together!”
The beginning
HAKI and Enigma’s senior management teams started to explore the opportunity around three years ago in 2018. Since this period, the relationship has been gaining momentum and continues to do so. By March 2019, Enigma was the largest stockholder of HAKI Universal systems in the UK after making a considerable investment in more than 2,500t of scaffold equipment. During 2019 Enigma proceeded to invest further in HAKI Universal, purchasing £2m of equipment for forthcoming projects. This sum was divided into two orders in accordance with Enigma’s project timelines.
By this point, it was clear that HAKI and Enigma had built solid foundations, signifying the companies’ commitment to delivering the very best scaffold solutions to various market sectors. Enigma’s significant investments in HAKI marked important steps in what would a year later, go on to be an official partnership. As of May 2020, Enigma became the sole distributor of HAKI’s products in the UK. The strategic partnership enables both organisations to better serve and support the market as it continues to evolve towards simpler, safer, more sophisticated systemised solutions.
The outcomes
A huge aspect of the companies’ partnership is the distribution network which covers seven Enigma Industrial Locations strategically located around the UK, with sites in Kenfig (Wales), Erith, Derby, Preston and Newcastle (England), and Glasgow and Edinburgh (Scotland). “Now Enigma has distribution stock available, it is a massive assurance to HAKI and Enigma’s customers. Establishing this network took a lot of trust and had to be done sensitively, but between both companies we were able to drive the initiative to completion,” Alan comments.
In terms of the HAKI and Enigma partnership at large, there have been plenty of pieces to puzzle together. It is safe to say however, that both businesses are on a path they never even envisioned two years ago. “As with all relationships there have been challenges which we have worked through together. We’re thankful that there haven’t necessarily been any compromises – we’ve just found ways to do things differently to suit the needs of each business,” shares David.
“It is important to remember that we are two separate entities coming together, where each business had to take time to learn the culture of the other. That is no easy feat!” Alan continues.
It is why each company had to consider how the individual organisation would interoperate at different levels. “We had – and still have to – make sure that collaboration runs throughout each vein of each business – through logistics, sales, to design etc,” says Alan.
“It’s a learning process that will very much continue into the future,” adds David. “It’s important to make sure that the relationship between us and Enigma is evident at all points. The next step is to deliver training sessions in different phases to 1,000 Enigma employees on the basics of HAKI’s components and applications.”
As well as juggling the logistical challenges of business partnerships, like other organisations, Enigma and HAKI had to work around the changes the coronavirus pandemic brought, particularly when the first lockdown began in March 2020. Each business had to be flexible and it is something they’ve been able to overcome resiliently. “Every organisation is tasked with the challenge of responding to market conditions – this is a fact of business established long before Covid-19. What’s important is to be proactive rather than reactive; an approach Enigma and HAKI were already au fait with!”
The Future
Both organisations are keeping a firm eye on the prospect of future developments and market expansions. In terms of the here and now, Alan says: “The partnership between HAKI and Enigma is strong and resilient. I’ve been very fortunate to be part of this continuing journey and am delighted by what we do and all that we’ve achieved. I’m looking forward to further progress between Enigma and HAKI as we continue along the successful partnership.”
