XXXX XXXX 70 DANNY BONN, MASCOT WORKWEAR: MASCOT is one of the leading companies in the field of workwear. Tell us about it. Our goal is to produce and deliver the best workwear in the world. We are one of the bigger players in Europe. Everything we do outside of Europe is still relatively small. Germany and Denmark are our largest markets, followed by the Netherlands. MASCOT has been available here for 25 years and our market share is about fourteen percent. What is your role at MASCOT? I am the market director for the Benelux, Italy, and Poland. That involves overseeing 54 people. In some countries, we work with a country manaThe MASCOT showroom in Naarden is larger than it first appears. Workwear in all varieties and colors is tastefully and neatly displayed. It’s the perfect place for the Dutch MASCOT team to welcome customers and to interview market director Danny Bonn. “WE WANT TO PRODUCE AND DELIVER THE BEST WORKWEAR IN THE WORLD.” ger or team leader, while other countries report directly to me. I joined MASCOT almost twenty years ago to set up a sales operation and build the brand. One of the first things I did was find a location for the showroom. That became Naarden. We started with a small sales team focused on dealers. In addition, we have a sales team that targets end users. We connect warm contacts with end users to a dealer. In short, our main task is to support our dealers in the broadest sense of the word - through marketing, communication, sponsorship, and sales. How and when was MASCOT founded? MASCOT is a Danish family business, founded in 1982 by John and Tove BY JUDITH MUNSTER 8 Kjærgaard Grosbøl as a producer of thermal clothing. Later, workwear was added. First a pair of pants, then a sweater, and so on. Twenty years ago, their son Michael and daughter Susie joined the company, bringing a whole new dynamic. Under Michael’s leadership, significant strides have been made in automation, infrastructure, sustainability, internationalization, and expanding the collection. Currently, we have 4,500 employees, with 500 in Europe and 4,000 at our production facilities in Laos and Vietnam. How do you notice that MASCOT is a family business? By the way customers and employees are treated. MASCOT is committed to making the best possible products in the best possible way. This means maximum wearing pleasure for the customer, maximum job satisfaction for the employees, and minimal impact on the planet. One of the highlights of the year is the MASCOT Christmas party. Every year we celebrate Christmas with all European staff in Denmark. We stay in a hotel, have a delicious dinner where Michael gives a speech, and then there is music and dancing. It’s a beautiful tradition that everyone looks forward to every year. I have attended many times, and it remains special. What is the current status? We provide company clothing from A to Z, from socks and underwear to all types of workwear, safety clothing, and shoes for companies mainly in construction, logistics, industry, government, healthcare, food processing, technical wholesalers, and more. We make clothing for self-employed persons, SMEs, large businesses, and governments with one to one hundred thousand employees and everything in between. Recently, we have taken our first steps into corporate clothing, such as trousers, skirts, blazers, shirts, suits, and dress shoes for front office staff. This is a completely new market for us to explore, and it's very exciting. The first results are promising. How is your marketing and sales structure organized? We only supply to dealers and, in some cases, directly to larger end users. In our showroom, we present new collections and receive customers by appointment. As mentioned, we have a sales team that focuses on dealers and a sales team that targets end users, which makes us quite unique. Additionally, we provide comprehensive marketing support. Think of social media campaigns, displays, (instruction) videos, sponsorships, TV commercials, trade show participation, and more. We also have a mobile showroom to visit end users. Many of our marketing activities are initiated from Denmark. Each location also has a marketing budget to be used at their discretion. What does MASCOT Netherlands do with the marketing budget? One of the coolest things is that we are a part of the Dutch Grand Prix Founders Club, allowing us to offer our customers a fantastic experience. Additionally, during the Grand Prix in Zandvoort, we outfit all 1,400 volunteers, as well as the organization and management. A fun piece of news is that Tom Coronel is becoming our brand ambassador; he just returned from Denmark after signing the contract. We have also sponsored Tim Coronel’s Dakar team for ten years. This shows that our workwear and shoes can withstand the most extreme conditions, even a desert rally. We also sponsor various football clubs like Ajax, Heerenveen, Almere City, Roda JC, Go Ahead Eagles, and FC Dordrecht. At some, we have LED boards, at others VIP seats, and at others, the stewards wear our clothing. MASCOT mainly focuses on football and motorsport for sponsorship. What is the reasoning behind this? In motorsport, there is a constant pursuit of improvement. Everything is thoroughly tested, which is precisely what we value. One of our unique features is what we call 'Tested to Work'; all new products are extensively tested. Besides that, motorsport and football appeal to our end customers. Being present in these worlds is the way to increase our brand awareness. For example, we became a sponsor of the KICK Sauber Formula 1 team, which captures the imagination. Recently, I attended the race in Barcelona with customers, an unforgettable experience! Danny Bonn, MASCOT Workwear: 71 2024 - number 4 - promzvak.nl
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDcxNDY5