Wire and reels: GMP Slovakia answers our questions

GMP Slovakia, headquartered in Pribenik, Slovakia, specializes in the production of wire and cable reels and accessories. In order to have a general overview on this particular topic, and in general on the metal industry state of health, we had a little chat with some members of GMP Slovakia’s sales department.

As reels and lifting system manufacturers, what are your thoughts about the current state of the wire industry?
At the moment, the wire market is in a pretty calm spot. Today, there's a tendency to purchase equipment of immediate need, whereas in the past our customers used to have a stock of ready-to-use reels in their warehouse.

They say the wire field is almost full-grown and there is little to no innovation possible. Speaking of reels, is this the case? Is there still room for improvement?
Despite being a vital part for a wide range of machines, the reel is but an equipment: as such, it is not subject to frequent and major innovation. Nevertheless, we at GMP Slovakia give the reel as much of our attention as the machine: excellent quality and long lasting products are what we aim at. Since our reels can be balanced up to 50 meters per second, they allow our customers to make use of the true potential of their lines, by speeding them up and thus reducing production time. This is why we put a lot of effort in R&D, in order to study and test new materials and new reel production techniques. EasyKoil Plus™ is your spearhead. Why is this system so unique?
EasyKoil Plus™ is a patented system, thus it is one of a kind. It consists of a take apart reel that in addition to winding the wire, can also expand its main body. This allows the lifting of the wire coil: the customer will not be in need of a lifter, because the reel itself shall act as one. Where are your competitors from? What makes you stand out?
The number of our competitors has grown considerably over time, especially in China. Even if they have a hefty production capacity, our main strength lies in supplying long-lasting products, together with an excellent value for the money. Our main focus is quality, assistance and know how. Which geographical areas are you focusing on? Which ones seem the most promising?
At the moment, Europe is our main focal point, but we are nevertheless keeping an eye on Mexico and India. 5 years ago, we established GMP Reels India and we have been expanding our product range in that region ever since. At this time, in India, we are concentrating our efforts on a specific number of products, to always be one step ahead of our Far Eastern competitors.