DYKA
Leading piping solutions provider DYKA demonstrates its ability to deliver cutting edge innovation, whilst at the same time ensuring it continues to serve its many customers with best in class service
In the pipeline
Leading piping solutions provider DYKA demonstrates its ability to deliver cutting edge innovation, whilst at the same time ensuring it continues to serve its many customers with best in class service
In 2017 DYKA will be celebrating its 60th year in business since its two founders, a chemist and a plumber, joined forces in the Netherlands to provide plastic solutions for plumbing and groundwork applications. Success followed the company’s establishment very quickly, as the pair took a different approach to other manufacturers by serving the end customer directly. Since then DYKA has grown an expansive network of branches and local manufacturing sites in Europe, predominantly across the Netherlands, UK, France, Poland and Belgium. As such, today the business occupies a leading position in the plastic pipe industry, with an offering made up of PVC, PP, PE and bio-plastic products backed up by a portfolio of value added services.
“The company’s origins are in plumbing and this means we really know and understand the applications that we are serving,” begins Commercial Director at DYKA, Eric Jan Rutten. “It also means that our solutions are the best in the market.” The company has invested heavily over the years into ensuring its service has both the competence and the capacity to support such a successful range of systems. In its main markets a plumber is never 20 minutes away from a DYKA branch with availability of a full range of all piping systems, knowledgeable staff, and an in-house consultancy and engineering department means that the company is able to provide a much more expansive breadth of support. “For the larger mechanical service contractors we also provide prefabricated piping solutions, which involves engineering and producing a complete customised piping system and delivering just-in-time to the construction sites,” adds Eric Jan.
Apart from a strong service offering, DYKA has also built itself a robust reputation for innovation and product development. By working closely with both customers and research centres, the company is able to operate at the cutting edge of the market delivering new innovations and systems designed to meet current trends and demands.
One recent and hugely successful example of this is the launch of a new plastic piping system for ventilation applications. “The idea of this product came from one of our largest customers who, like all other companies in the market, were using traditional metal piping systems for ventilation, but were having a lot of difficulties applying metal to their working methods,” explain Eric. “They told us that they saw an opportunity for a plastic version and so we set about developing a solution. The result is a more robust, silent and lighter system than a metal alternative, which is easier and quicker to install for the plumber who would have normally had to outsource the work to a metal specialist. Its aerodynamic properties also make it more energy efficient. Furthermore, we don’t just provide the piping system, but a total solution covering everything from the ventilation box to all prefabrication and calculation work.”
Launched into the Dutch market two years ago, this new plastic ventilation system, which now includes both in- and out-flow applications, has experienced extraordinary success. Eric Jan notes that in the Netherlands a large portion of the plumber industry has decided to change from metal systems to apply DYKA’s total solution. The system will also be launched to the neighbouring Belgian market in 2016.
More recently the company has launched a new bio-plastic range in response to growing calls from the market for more sustainable solutions. “Sustainability is very important for our company and for our customers,” Eric Jan expresses. “We have been working with a bio-plastic material partner for few years now, developing the applicability of this plastic to our systems and we very recently formulated a successful solution. It was then a case of deciding which segment to launch this into first and we believe that rainwater is the most suitable.”
Whilst coming at a slight price premium to PVC options, DYKA is confident that customers are prepared to pay that premium for a more environmentally friendly system. After assessing the success and positivity of reception for this rainwater application, Eric Jan notes that he hopes to be able to roll this technology out across other business segments over the coming years.
As far as the future is concerned for DYKA, continuing to develop and innovate in line with customer demands and foreseeable future trends is very much at the top of the agenda. Speaking with Eric Jan it is clear that there are lots of developments in the pipeline and that the coming years for the company, particularly from a solutions perspective, will be very fruitful. Beyond this, the company is committed to expanding its branch network throughout Europe, and will be focusing on reaching out to its thousands of smaller customers with more targeted marketing and sales programmes.
“Ultimately, by remaining committed to the values and business formula that have driven the company to its current position of success, we hope to be able to achieve our vision of becoming the preferred partner for the plumbers and groundworkers across Europe,” concludes Eric Jan.
DYKA
Services: Leading European piping solutions provider