Using the web rather than just being on it

There have been a number of significant changes since MachinePoint first entered the machinery market in 1999.

There have been a number of significant changes since MachinePoint first entered the machinery market in 1999.

The general view of the Internet as the ultimate tool for all transactions is now confined to history.

Although the web still offers fast and easy methods of transactions adoption rates are far slower than anticipated with many e-businesses simple disappearing or completely changing their business models in an effort to survive.

"At MachinePoint we have embraced an evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach to the machinery market; we have become a business using the web rather than a business on the web," says MachinePoint CEO, C?sar Rodriguez.

"MachinePoint started its operations back in 1999 selling information and contacts related to the availability and demand for used plastics and rubber machinery, via the Web.

However, we soon understood the need to get involved in the management of the actual transaction, either through finding the most suitable customer for a machine or arranging every single detail in the transaction process, from translation services to answering technical questions, arranging inspections, travelling with customers, helping in negotiations and providing post-sales services such as transport, insurance or engineering." But if MachinePoint's model has changed together with its relationship with the Internet there is, however, one thing that has remained unaltered and which has remained MachinePoint's goal right from the beginning: to bring efficiency and clarity to the used equipment market with second-hand machinery professionals as its main force of value.

MachinePoint collaborates with 35 preferred partners chosen from among more than 350 collaborating machinery dealers to perform the most complex transactions and deliver of overhauled machinery.

MachinePoint realized that its internal specialization necessarily had to mirror the complexity of the plastics and rubber machinery market.

"We set about re-organising our sales team around key equipment sectors, covering Injection Moulding, Blow Moulding, Extrusion, Compounding, Thermoforming, Recycling, Film, Sheet, Printing, and Rubber." Says Rodr¡guez: "Our specialists are now able to work directly with the buyers and sellers, understanding customer's needs and matching their individual requirements for specialist equipment." MachinePoint's sales force is supported by a strong marketing team, which reaches thousands of potential customers everyday through an extensive and thoroughly segmented database of more than 65,000 polymer processing sites, and constant campaigns and telemarketing follow ups.

These activity levels in turn generate increased Website traffic.

The results: Hundreds of individual machines sold to Africa, Latin America, Europe and North America plus a number of complete manufacturing plants; over 600 search mandates and 300 sell mandates received every month; a growing customer base and increasing levels of repeat orders from satisfied customers.

These business developments have been greatly enhanced by the launch earlier this year of MachinePoint's new technology platform which includes, a new Website, with an advanced information management area for MachinePoint's associates.

The overall technical enhancement has also helped MachinePoint speed up its sales process, increase its internal efficiency and, as result, improve its world-wide service.

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