Customer Case - Nilfisk
Nilfisk
Nilfisk is a developer and manufacturer of professional cleaning equipment – from vacuum cleaners and pressure washers to ride-on floor cleaners and street sweepers. Nilfisk has a global presence, and Bufab has been the C-parts supplier to the company’s two production sites in Hungary since 2004. We’ve been supporting Nilfisk’s manufacturing operation for a long time, and when a discontinued component threatened to cause significant production issues, we were able to find a winning solution.
Challenge
At the end of 2021, a vital electrical microswitch used in Nilfisk’s cleaning machines was discontinued by their supplier due to low demand. Nilfisk still had a stock of the components available, but it was running out quickly and a solution was needed. After a lengthy dialogue, the supplier was unable to find a suitable replacement switch, and redesigning the product to fit an alternative component was not an option due to the difficult testing and recertification process that would be required. With no other options available, Nilfisk reached out to Bufab for a solution that would keep their production going.
Approach
Even though Bufab’s core business is non-electrical components, colleagues in Hungary rose to the challenge. In close collaboration with Nilfisk’s R&D department who could advise us on the key specifications of the needed part, we began searching through our extensive supplier base to find a partner who could provide a replacement. Soon, a Taiwanese manufacturer was identified, and thanks to help from the team at Bufab’s Taiwan sorting office, replacement parts that met Nilfisk’s needs were on their way to Europe.
Result
Thanks to Bufab’s extensive pool of suppliers and global presence, a replacement for the discontinued part was sourced and delivered to Nilfisk within six months of the initial contact. The supply was secured, and Nilfisk could seamlessly continue their production without any stockouts or difficult redesign work. Bufab was also to adapt quickly to demands for a new class of product, and since this project, we’ve been able to assist Nilfisk in sourcing other electrical components for their wide range of products.