Engineered to softly close a car door and compatible with all vehicle makes and models, SLAMSTOP is rolling out into the U.S. and seeking distributors and installers to carry the product. Sales networks are also being established in Asia and Europe along with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.
“Previously available on only high-end vehicles as part of a luxury package or factory option, SLAMSTOP works with all standard driver and passenger doors, as well as sliding doors,” says CFO Dmitry Iurgens.
Designed in Europe and manufactured in South Korea, “SLAMSTOP provides great business opportunities for dealers, distributors and retail shops,” he notes. “We offer you a useful innovation with strong demand, a high margin for you and a new and attractive way to employ your installation capacity.”
The device “uses a unique sensor that automatically monitors when a vehicle’s door reaches a specific distance from the car frame. As soon as the space is detected, a sensor is triggered and transfers the information to the SLAMSTOP operating system to secure the door shut the remainder of the way,” Iurgens explains.
“Whether a driver does not properly shut the car door or a passenger door becomes ajar while the vehicle is in motion, SLAMSTOP acts as safety precaution and is guaranteed for 30,000 cycles, or roughly 10 years of usage,” Iurgens said. “The action of closing a door while driving is not only hazardous to passengers, but also to the driver shifting his attention from the road,” he points out, adding that initial acceptance of the unit has been overwhelmingly positive.
Iurgens recently answered a series of questions posed by Aftermarket Business World about SLAMSTOP’s marketing plans:
Q: You have been displaying your product at several industry shows; what has been the reaction of attendees thus far?
A: Our product has been accepted by the visitors during all exhibitions in all cities where we have presented. It was a very good experience and we gained primary contacts, which we keep in touch with today.
Q: Where is your main headquarters? What work is being done in Europe? Is an outside company doing the R&D in Europe, or do you have an in-house facility there?
A: Our headquarters are located in Singapore. We have our R&D department, which is integrated with production. We also cooperate with one of the biggest R&D leaders in the automotive construction sphere. For now, our aim is to make production that will correspond to all demands and international quality standards.
Q: What distribution channels are you seeking in the U.S.?
A: We are seeking to align the SLAMSTOP product in various landscapes – on the dealership level and the automotive aftermarket arena with body and mechanical shops, as well more focused industries like the chauffeur and limousine market and fleets. It’s a very exciting time right now.
Q: What are some of the distributor requirements?
A: We are seeking more distributors in the U.S., and it would require certifications in the installation process, which we are open to discussing with interested parties.
Q: Can SLAMSTOP be installed by do-it-yourselfers, or is this best accomplished by professional installers?
A: At this moment we have our professional technician team to install the device and we also train technicians from all of our partner companies. The idea is to give our company certification in order to avoid bad quality installations during the first stages. Since our product is new, we do not recommend installing it yourself at this time.
For more information, visit www.slamstop.com or call 951-662-3088.
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