The catalogue of Sidem, the European manufacturer of steering and suspension parts, today consists of more than 9,000 references. To offer customers more insight, Sidem has developed a number of well-defined quality labels for use in its own online catalogue and on TecDoc. This makes the added value of Sidem parts immediately visible to distributors and garage owners.
Premium quality
“We are using four new quality labels,” explains Sidem’s marketing manager Delphine Dewildeman. “In every case, a product is attributed at least one label, i.e. the Premium Parts label. Every part produced by Sidem must meet our premium quality standards. In that sense, marking each product with the label is in line with this policy. A product, however, can also have one of the three other labels, or even a combination of them.”
Top kits
Two labels are specific for kits. The label Top Kit Accessories indicates that the composition of an article includes all accessories, from bolts and nuts to springs and shields. This way, a service technician or mechanic does not have to search for the necessary accessories and he has everything already available, which facilitates an easy and efficient installation. “As those accessories otherwise have to be purchased separately, we offer our end customers more convenience in this way”, explains Delphine Dewildeman.
The label Top Kit Extended indicates that a kit is composed with products of a matching nature. “Like an axial joint that is immediately supplied together with a steering rack gaiter”, says Delphine Dewildeman. “This means that everything is immediately at hand for a repair. Once again, the efficiency and convenience of the mechanic are the main goal here.”
Re-engineered technology
The fourth and final label is Re-engineered Technology, which indicates that Sidem redevelops and optimizes the original design. “We do this because we see a problem or demand in the market and respond to it,” explains Delphine Dewildeman. “This approach delivers a more sustainable product with a longer lifespan, which is also easier to install. So again customer convenience.”
“We strive for happy customers in every way”, concludes Delphine Dewildeman. “Not only with our own customers, but also our customer’s customer. Thanks to these quality labels, both distributors and garage owners now know even better what they are buying and they can see at a glance and very visually the added value of the products.”
With the shift towards low emission zones and the EU’s demand for CO2 neutrality by 2035, the automotive industry is rapidly moving towards electric vehicles. Therefore, Sidem has developed an extensive range of specialized parts for Battery Electrical Vehicles (BEVs).
Because ball joints in BEVs are subject to extra torque, they are designed and built to handle this additional impact.
Since electrical cars produce less noise and vibration compared to cars with internal combustion engines, the suspension system in a BEV is designed with a greater focus on minimizing road noise and vibrations transmitted to the cabin.