In September, Mirka opened the doors to its new national training facility in Milton Keynes. To find out how it has been received by the trade, CVW talked to Steve Smith, National Sales Manager – ART.
Q. Has the new training centre been successful since its launch? Are customers taking full advantage?
Steve Smith (SS): Since the official launch in September, the training centre is proving to be a great addition to Mirka UK. The meeting rooms are used on a daily basis, while the facilities within the demonstration areas enable us to undertake all aspects of surface preparation training.
Q. Can you give an example of a specific training course that has been run?
SS: Mirka has run several different courses within the training centre to date. The courses are tailor-made to our customers’ needs and have been designed to provide solutions to their day-to-day challenges. Customers are all individual and their needs vary, so it is important that we work together to maximise the opportunities for them.
Q. Did those that took the course find it useful?
SS: The true measure of any training course is to gain great feedback from the participants. The feedback to date has been very positive, ranging from comments about the first-class facilities, through to the course content. We have also found that our customers leave the training centre confident in their ability to apply their new skill sets to their businesses.
Q. What are your views on the level of training within the industry? Why is it important for businesses to be up to date with the latest processes?
SS: Generally speaking, training within the industry is on the decline. Where others have withdrawn from training, Mirka has strengthened its technical team and values supporting the customer. The industry will continue to see change through innovation, and as market leaders in surface preparation, Mirka works closely with other manufacturers and end users to ensure the demand for achieving the perfect result every time is met and surpassed.
Q. How can CV workshops go about organising a training programme, and what sort of training should they ask for?
SS: To participate in a training programme, Mirka likes to meet with the business and get a better understanding of the company’s values and its challenges surrounding surface preparation. From these findings, a bespoke training programme can be jointly agreed and a positive way forward determined. The possibilities are endless, and Mirka prides itself on ensuring its customers have confidence when using its products, so that the businesses that take part in a programme can enhance their profitability.
