Craft Focus - February / March 2021 (Issue 83)

69 PROFILE How often do you launch new products? We launch new products annually at the trade show h+h held in Cologne, Germany. How would you advise a retailer who is interested in stocking your products? We market our products through our distribution network that currently has around 80 distributors spread over all the major knitting nations of the world. Any retailers interested in carrying our products may reach out to the distributor in their country directly by accessing the details listed on our website. In case they don’t find a distributor in their country, then they can contact us directly at sales@knitpro.eu an d we will handle their requirement directly. What sets you apart from your competitors? We’re equipped with the most modern manufacturing technology. We’re renowned for developing one-of-a-kind innovative products that have helped us and our business partners get a large share of the knitting needles market. Our products are designed and developed in coordination with a panel of experts located in Germany, USA and some Scandinavian countries. In addition, our exemplary customer service is something that sets us apart. Do you visit any trade shows? Yes, we regularly exhibit at the h+h trade show in Cologne, Germany and industry shows like Stitches and TNNA in USA. How did business cope during the Covid-19 pandemic and what are your plans going forward? The upheavals seen by the world this year have left our operations impacted in a major way. While our factory was closed for few weeks in March/April due to a national lockdown, upon reopening we took it as a mission to ensure that we provide a safe working place for all our people and protect them from the virus. At the same time, we were faced with the challenge of ramping up our production due to the excess demand being generated in the market place. With extraordinary team effort, we increased our production by almost 50 per cent and managed to ensure a steady supply of products to our customers. Going forward, we’ll continue to ensure that our factory remains a safe place to work and we continue to enhance our capabilities by developing new exciting products that address the emerging needs of our customers and aid them in pursuing their passion to the fullest. What new products can we expect from you in the future? We’re working on couple of exciting new needles lines and a new range of crochet hooks that will be launched in the coming period. sales@knitpro.eu www.knitpro.eu