Wee County Trophies drives business forward with Trotec Laser.

With a wide range of products, Wee County Trophies used two mechanical engraving machines and sublimation equipment to process many of them including trophy plates, mugs and some awards. However, all engraving work for acrylic, glass and wood had to be outsourced for laser processing which resulted in longer lead times for order fulfilment.

In 2018, Sean and Petra decided that the way to take their business to the next level was to incorporate a laser engraver into their in-house production equipment, as this would not only reduce lead times and save on outsourcing costs but it would also allow the pair to expand on their range of products and services.

The duo initially looked to the manufacturer of their mechanical machines to supply their laser cutter, having been happy with the service from the supplier in the past and the reliability of the engraving machines. During the sales demonstration Sean and Petra were not convinced that the laser cutter was the best for their application. The machine itself failed to convince with seemingly basic software and limited laser wattage, while the sales representative was unenthusiastic throughout the duration of the demonstration. Only two materials were demonstrated on the laser machine and no samples were available for Sean and Petra to see what else was possible with the technology.

Sean and Petra we're left unconvinced by the demonstration and were unsure of purchasing a laser from the supplier, due to the contrast in quality compared to the service they had received for their mechanical engravers. This led them to search for an alternative laser supplier. During their search for the perfect leaser engraver supplier, Sean and Petra contacted four suppliers, one of which was Trotec.

Incorporating laser technology has proved to be a turning point for Wee County Trophies. The technology has allowed Sean and Petra to negate outsourcing costs and have greater quality control over their products. Additional revenue streams have also opened up for the company, with the team having taken several bespoke orders including custom awards, engraved wooden spoons and even adding serial numbers to firearms.

At the time of installation, Trotec's area manager spent a full day training the duo, ensuring that they would be able to get the most of their new laser. A year on from the installation of their new laser engraver, Trotec's service has continued to impress Sean and Petra. Any problems have been resolved promptly with minimal downtime for the business by either the area manager or Trotec's technical support team based in England.