The next time you reach for your
F-style or parallel-jaw clamps, regardless of brand, think of
Bessey.
The Germany-based company invented both styles of these clamps
decades ago. And they've continued to forge high quality clamps ever
since.
"Clamps dominate our product
offerings," says Andrew Fera, vice president of marketing for
Bessey Tools North America. "We offer between 1,200 and 1,300
different clamps. We pride ourselves on being a one-stop clamping
solution."
The company has been focused on metal
fabrication since Max Bessey opened his cold-drawn steel mill back in
1889. He experienced early success with that method of steel making,
because it was a niche industry in Europe. But, the Depression era
forced Max to consider more carefully what he could do with those
cauldrons of steel, so he turned his attention to clamps. Max
developed the first F-style clamp, using a cold-drawn steel bar and
malleable cast parts for the jaws. Bessey patented the design in
1936. Cabinetmakers and other professional woodworkers adopted those
early Bessey clamps with gusto, so the mill stayed busy. Then, in
1952, Bessey patented the first continuous-frame, all-steel F-style clamp for welding and other metalwork. Again, success followed as
Bessey expanded into the metalworking trades market.
"In the 1950s and 60s, Bessey
began to produce metal snips, expanding our reputation from premium
hand-clamping into hand-cutting as well. We aren't as well known for
snips here in North America, but in Europe we are the leading
manufacturer of these tools. European tradespeople consider even a
pair of snips as being a 'buy it once for a lifetime' investment,"
Fera says.
During the middle half of the last
century, though, Fera recounted that Bessey was predominantly an
"engineering driven" company. "Our German engineers
ran the show for decades, designing all sorts of high quality
products but without the benefit of much marketing knowledge. In
terms of manufacturing, that was a really good thing for a long time,
but eventually we realized that we needed a better sense of sales
focus. You can't make everything; we needed to really define our
marketing strategy."
So, in the 1970s, the company expanded
its sales team and sought to strike a better balance between
engineering and customer needs when it came to new product
development. It was a transition in mindset that resonated positively
through the company ranks. A more customer-driven focus led to good
things for woodworking again — this time, the invention of parallel
clamps. In 1979, Bessey rolled out the first-ever K-body parallel clamps. Lever clamps and smaller, lighter-duty clamps also came on
the scene.
"These days, we're more of a
sales-driven company than ever before. By that I mean, we strive to
maintain a good balance between high engineering standards and
customer needs...We try to offer a good price/value proposition so we
can support all sides of the woodworking market — from professional
users that reach for our clamps every day to the small shop
woodworker and DIYer."
Fera says that understanding what
customers really need is an ongoing learning process. Even five years
ago, the company used distributor feedback as a primary conduit for
gathering end-user information. "But that just wasn't good
enough; we weren't really getting close enough to our customers. So
it challenged us to make a transition into social media. Since then,
we've redone our website, taken Facebook and Twitter much more
seriously and created an e-newsletter. The newsletter has gone from
zero to 10,000 subscribers in just under a year. We are also invested
in video, linking them both to our website and featuring them on a
dedicated Bessey YouTube Channel."
Drew says the company also solicits
feedback from a network of product reviewers initiated through the
WoodWhisperer. "We tell them: we don't mind what you say as long
as you say something! We need to hear about the warts and pimples of
our products as well as the best features...otherwise, feedback is
just mutual admiration — and that doesn't help product development
at all."
This dedication to customer feedback
brings positive tension to the company's commitment to developing the
highest quality products for the price. Now there are Bessey clamps
to suit most needs and budgets. For instance, the flagship REVO parallel clamps satisfy the most demanding end user, while the newly
launched REVO Jr. line offers Bessey quality at a lower price tag.
But regardless of which Bessey clamps you choose to invest in for
your shop, Fera extends the same guarantee: "If it breaks and
it's our fault, we will replace it with product that is as good or
better than what you had. Our customer service is second to none in
this regard."
Looking ahead, Bessey has recently set
its sights on a product type that hasn't changed in 25 to 30 years:
toggle clamps. You may have seen the recent Tool Preview blurb about
them, following from our AWFS Fair coverage this past summer.
Bessey's toggles are auto-adjusting to accommodate different
workpiece thicknesses but still offer the same clamping pressure.
"This is a totally different product than anything we've ever
sold before, but we see the possibility for real innovation here.
It's going to be a major product development focus for us for the
next few years. July marked our first toggle clamp sales, and the big
challenge now is just keeping up with the demand. We want to say to
our woodworking customers, 'Look what we can do here!' So far, the
response has been great."
That drive to exceed expectation is
what continues to move Bessey forward, but it's a challenge the
company is happy to meet. "We're satisfying a market that is
passionate about what they do. You don't find people that 'sorta
like' woodworking. They're crazy about it. And when it comes to
clamping products, so are we."