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Wake up to the world's best coffee machines
As the biggest manufacturer of fully automatic coffee machines, many of which find their way into hotels, restaurants and pubs all over the UK, WMF is among the most successful manufacturers in the country. With a history of coffee machines that stretches back eight decades, the German firm have more experience in their field than many respected brands throughout the world.
Catering in Scotland introduces a leading name in industrial coffee machines, and finds it takes more than a quality roast to make the perfect cup…
For Thomas Heinen, the word "compromise" simply does not exist. As WMF's Director for UK Ltd & Ireland, he is responsible for showcasing and safeguarding the heritage of a brand that has morphed into many different sectors over the last century, including tableware and conference-and-banqueting equipment for hotels and restaurants.
Thomas's focus and attention to detail is as concentrated today as it was when he came to the UK from Germany to launch the British side of the business in 1998, and he is proud of WMF's history:
"People who buy from us want quality in the long-term, he says. "Our coffee machines are highly sophisticated and reliable tools for serving anything up to 1,000 cups per day. We manufacture, sell and service them direct to our customers and we can support our products with a failsafe service package that offers prompt, on-site attention with a full catalogue of spares for every machine in our range. No other manufacturer can match it."
With the smoking ban now well into its second year, Thomas has noticed a marked increase in business from various types of establishments: "Since March 2006, restaurants, bars, pubs and hotels have started searching for additional revenue, and coffee sales are filling that gap to a great extent," he says. "We supply our products to hotels, caterers, offices, coffee shops, tourist attractions and restaurants, and people are generally aware of the lucrative opportunities that good quality coffee can bring to a business.
The machines themselves are programmable to suit any taste, and offer bespoke cup sizes and taste profile according to customers' requirements. However, this, Thomas contends, is also where WMF differs from their competition: "We do not sell coffee," he says, emphatically. "Unlike our competitors, some of whom supply coffee machines at discounted rates and then claw back the discounts through inflated coffee prices, we only supply the machines themselves, allied to a comprehensive backup service to customers. This enables clients to source their coffee from wherever they choose, at whatever discounts they can negotiate."
A further major selling point of WMF's products lies in company's "preventative maintenance" strategy, which offers piece of mind for buyers and allows WMF to offer extended warranties for the lifetime of the machine. All 21 WMF engineers are factory-trained and carry a comprehensive range of spare parts in their vehicles, so delivery delays are never an issue.
"Busy restaurants, pubs and hotels can suffer if their equipment breaks down, even just for a few hours," continues Thomas. "To minimise this we have a policy of fixing and replacing parts before they are due to expire, which in turn encourages long-term reliability and trouble-free ownership."
And this is perhaps the defining feature of WMF - that they concentrate on what they do best without being distracted – and it rewards their customers in the long-run: "Our machines are not cheap to buy but because they are self-cleaning they save a lot of time and can generate considerable amounts of money for operators," he adds. "Five cups a day at an average price per cup will pay for a middle-spec unit within around three months, and after that the profits begin to kick in."
"Our machines are the Mercedes of the coffee world," concludes Thomas. "You get what you pay for."
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature, please see Catering in Scotland magazine November/December 2007.
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