Positive Predictions From TM Machinery

2020 has been a challenging and turbulent year for everyone but with the construction and manufacturing sectors continuing to operate effectively during the pandemic, TM Machinery has seen a marked upswing in business.

“To date, we’ve seen a very rapid descent followed by a pretty decent recovery,” says Matt Pearce, Managing Director of TM Machinery Sales and TM Services. “For us, one of the biggest challenges was to know the right time to get back to work following the first national lockdown. We were fortunate enough to be able to pay our employees in full during the initial furlough period but the team was keen to get back to work. We needed to balance their desire to work with the need to keep them safe. When customers like B&Q and Selco re-opened, it was a clear indication that it was the right time for us to implement our new Covid-secure operation and get our sales and servicing division fully re-opened.”

Investing in High Quality Woodworking Machinery

By July, TM Machinery’s servicing department was back to levels seen before the pandemic. Machinery sales soon followed, with September being exceptionally busy. Matt says, “We found that companies weren’t looking to replace their machinery quite so frequently as before but those with plans to expand their machinery range, increase production or undergo new projects were still keen to invest in good quality machinery. This meant that the majority of our sales have been from existing customers looking to increase the number of machines they had, or new businesses looking to invest in their very first vertical panel saw or dust extraction unit.”

Matt continues, “I wouldn’t be so bold as to predict continual growth in the coming months and I’m under no illusion that the next 12 months won’t bring new challenges but as a whole, the manufacturing sector is resilient and its clear that, with manufacturing and construction companies still able to operate successfully during these difficult times, the need to invest in high quality machinery is still as crucial today as it was before the pandemic. This makes me reasonably optimistic for 2021 and, with plans for growth still very much alive in the industry, I’m confident sales will remain strong going forward.

“Looking back at 2020, it’s been a year filled with challenges but it’s also come with its fair share of positive messages too. It’s shown me how dedicated the TM team is and how adaptable we are as a business. Thanks in part to a cloud-based software package installed 18 months ago, the transition between office and home working has been fairly straightforward and its allowed us to work effectively throughout the pandemic and continue to offer our customers a high level of customer service. It’s also been fantastic to see our customers pull together and work with us to operate a Covid-secure operation. This has shown a real sense of togetherness, as we all do our bit to tackle the spread of the virus. For me, 2020 has confirmed just how robust TM Machinery and TM Services are and how resilient this industry is. Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2021!”