Before starting Mintronics, I worked as a sales manager for a design agency and software reseller based in the North East. I saw that customers were missing out on some excellent products that were not receiving attention or exposure. Those products offered great value and were competitive. In addition, many resellers tried to apply a single solution to every need. But one size does not fit all engineering requirements for every company. So I decided to form Mintronics and began looking for a range of products that could be used to create tailored, comprehensive solutions at a reasonable price.
My timing was great. I formed Mintronics in 2008, right at the beginning of the worldwide economic downturn.
The first company I worked with was USA-based Micro Estimating. Five months later, I became a UK reseller partner for Alibre. At that time, Alibre held a unique position in the market providing 3D mechanical design software. The software had three different modules and included a personal edition for hobbyists. It also included photo rendering, CAM and product data management (M-Files).
During 2009, sales of Alibre went well as many in the design world realised that a budget for a powerful CAD system was less than £2000 or £500 depending on the module instead of our competitors with their £6000 systems.
I was asked many times about the price usually with disbelief. Having worked for two of the competitors it was a simple calculation. The others systems were selling a brand name which needed maintaining with marketing spend every month. Their sales process involved salesmen and technical managers visiting customers and making set piece presentations. We were using web based tools and making the whole process simple.
I also made another decision at that time to have support carried out by engineering consultants who used the system on a daily basis for their own work. I then prioritised any support calls above all else. This became the operating principals behind the business and continues to this day
We seek solutions that offer great value for money and support in a special way