Ecotap was founded in 2011 and develops charging stations for electric vehicles. Where they previously made everything in-house, they now outsource part of it to Udenco. “We used to do everything ourselves,” says Bjorn. “We had our own assembly line and sourcing all components. But we also had to be busy with development, sales and administration. That became too much. We wanted to go back to basics: to further develop the product and bring it to market. That is why we outsourced the production and assembly to Udenco.”
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Ecotap
Ecotap and Udenco successfully collaborate on ultimate AC and DC charging stations
Where five years ago you hardly saw a charging station for electric cars anywhere, they are now sprouting like mushrooms. And not only to charge cars, but also buses and trucks. Demand will only increase, expects Bjorn Brands, COO of Ecotap. He is therefore pleased with Udenco as a passionate and committed partner that takes the sourcing and assembly off your hands. Bjorn explains why here.
“Udenco has shown that it can switch quickly, actively think along and grow with us”
Grow quickly, switch quickly
Ecotap started as a very young company and has already grown considerably. But they are far from there, according to Bjorn: “The market for electric charging stations is still young. We should not be too small for the big, but neither should we be too big for the small. Udenco understands this very well and has always grown with us and with the market. They are very good at making AC and DC chargers, in the right numbers. They do their best for small orders, but they also know how to take advantage of large orders. They have shown that they can start up quickly, create examples quickly and switch quickly.”
More than a production partner
Udenco is an important partner for Ecotap. And not just about production. “Udenco really thinks along with us, for example when customers ask a question. Not only in terms of technology, but also when it comes to efficiency and sustainability. In addition, they actively monitor whether certain components can be purchased smarter, cheaper, better or faster. And they never lose sight of quality,” says Bjorn. “In addition, Udenco is a company with Dutch roots that produces for us in Europe. The lines are short and I like that. We are also both very involved in sustainability, green energy and social entrepreneurship. For example, we like to work with people who are at a distance from the labor market, and Udenco works in Slovakia with an organization that takes homeless young people under their wing and lets them work in production. We take social and sustainable entrepreneurship very seriously and think it is important that our partners share the same commitment. So it is a good match.”
Smart inventory management
In addition to thinking along and developing, Udenco also relieves Ecotap of some logistics. “There are passionate guests at Udenco who are on top of it. For example, they thought along with us about stockpiling, even when the orders had not yet been received. That was handy, because it allowed us to respond quickly to the demand. We went to that cowboy market together, which was not always easy. Udenco also persevered and the result is impressive. There was certainly friction, but that created a nice shine. We fought together for the ultimate charging station. Thanks to this close collaboration, we are ready for the future!”, concludes Bjorn.