Bürklin and Camtec Aim to Double 2024 Revenue

What makes the collaboration between Bürklin and Camtec special?

Helmut Müller: The collaboration between Bürklin and Camtec is a true partnership on equal footing. Both companies contribute their unique strengths and work closely and respectfully to achieve shared goals. It’s not just about exchanging products and services, but about growing together and learning from each other. The close communication and trust built over the years provide a stable foundation for a long-term and successful partnership. Bürklin brings expertise in distribution and logistics, while Camtec focuses on developing and manufacturing specialized, technically sophisticated products. This combination makes Bürklin the ideal sales partner for Camtec to efficiently and successfully bring their products to market. The close and trusting collaboration with Camtec is also reflected in our joint growth. While the power supply market was challenging last year, we were able to significantly increase our revenue with Camtec products. This strong growth continues this year, with a noticeable increase compared to the previous year.

Oliver Walter: Bürklin is an important strategic sales partner for us in the DACH region. Bürklin allows us to meet customer demand immediately from stock. Their professional and broad-based sales team enables quick and targeted customer contact. Short internal processes at Bürklin allow for rapid support. Camtec can also support Bürklin quickly with its extensive backup stock in case of urgent needs. As a logistics specialist, Bürklin can implement all common market delivery models in a targeted and professional manner for the customer.

Mr. Walter, what does your sales model look like, and what role does Bürklin play in it?

Oliver Walter: Camtec primarily sells its products through distributors in individual countries. Bürklin is the ideal partner for design-in in customer development departments, for replacement needs of existing machines and systems from stock, as well as for urgent requirements in infrastructure solutions or automated test systems where small quantities are needed. Bürklin helps Camtec and the customer achieve fast availability, often overnight, thanks to an extensive inventory.

What are the current supply chain challenges for Bürklin as a distributor and Camtec as a supplier partner?

Helmut Müller: Current international markets are characterized by uncertainty and high volatility. Companies face challenges such as long lead times, price fluctuations, and logistical bottlenecks, which directly affect product availability and competitiveness. In the electronics industry, raw material shortages are a central issue affecting the entire supply chain. Furthermore, the digital transformation of supply chains plays an increasingly important role. Companies must continuously adapt their processes to act more efficiently and transparently. Regulatory pressure is also increasing – new regulations and growing bureaucracy impose additional demands on the industry. Through close collaboration between Bürklin and Camtec, we ensure that we not only respond to these challenges but also proactively develop solutions to mitigate their impact, including jointly planned actions and optimized inventory planning to improve product availability and reduce supply shortages.

Oliver Walter: In times of a weak economy, manufacturers and distributors must adapt to rapidly changing market demand. Customer orders come in very short notice, and the customer must also deliver promptly. A win-win situation arises when the supply chain functions perfectly. Therefore, it is important to offer quickly available stock. Bürklin is the ideal partner for this. A large and well-managed inventory allows very short delivery times. The close collaboration with the Camtec support team enables fast and targeted technical support for customers.

Which products are included in the collaboration?

Helmut Müller: Bürklin offers a comprehensive range of high-quality products for various applications. This includes power supply units such as DIN rail power supplies and embedded power supplies, which ensure reliable energy supply for industrial and commercial applications. Another important segment is laboratory power supplies and loads, with the latest product innovations – the CPS-i2000 and CPS-i3000 series – being particularly noteworthy. These modern solutions offer advanced functions and innovative technologies for demanding applications. Our portfolio also includes a wide selection of fuses, especially for surge protection, as well as relays, including powerful semiconductor relays. This versatile offering optimally meets our customers' requirements in automation, measurement technology, industrial electronics, and many other applications.

Oliver Walter: Bürklin distributes the entire Camtec product range. If something is not listed, Bürklin can satisfy customer needs quickly through special procurement thanks to excellent contact with the manufacturer. Bürklin distributes Camtec DIN rail series HPV480 and HPV1000 with high output voltages, industrial power supplies of the CPS-EC480 and CPS-EC1000 series, programmable power supplies from Camtec HSEUREG, HSEUiREG, and CPS-i from 480 W to 3000 W, and the entire product line of inrush current limiters of the ESB series for LED lighting in building automation.

How does the collaboration highlight Camtec’s new CPS-i2000 and CPS-i3000 series?

Helmut Müller: Bürklin is one of the few high-service distributors to carry these products. This underscores our strong market position and the importance of our digital presence. Through targeted strategies and continuous optimization, we ensure that customers can quickly and easily find Camtec products, increasing brand visibility and reach.

Oliver Walter: Bürklin was one of the first sales partners with a shop system to list the entire new CPS-i2000 and CPS-i3000 series with the new LAN interface. After presenting the advantages of the series to Bürklin’s product team, the product management immediately recognized the benefits and decided to list the entire product line. This once again demonstrates Bürklin’s high professional competence and market sensitivity.

How does the technology of the new Camtec power supplies differ from others on the market?

Oliver Walter: The programmable power supplies CPS-i2000 and CPS-i3000 are key products for Camtec’s future. For the first time, Camtec introduces a mechanically highly flexible power supply concept that can integrate into various installation scenarios to meet diverse customer requirements, making it a standard product for system integrators. Even the analog standard interface allows seamless integration into Industry 4.0 standards. The new LAN interface enables plug-and-play commissioning and easy, platform-independent configuration via the integrated web interface. A design-to-service approach allows on-site exchange of Ethernet interfaces without factory calibration. System downtime is minimized. The customer can even replace an analog interface of an older CPS-i, EX, or EP unit with the LAN interface. The interface recognizes the power supply and self-calibrates. It doesn’t get easier than this.

Mr. Müller, does Bürklin provide technical support, and are Camtec products consultation-intensive?

Helmut Müller: Bürklin provides comprehensive technical support to customers. From our perspective, Camtec products are not particularly consultation-intensive, thanks to high-quality, detailed content data and comprehensive datasheets provided for each product. To offer the best possible service, Bürklin makes this information available directly in the online shop, so customers can quickly and easily access all technical details to make informed purchase decisions.

Mr. Walter, how have customer requirements for modular systems changed?

Oliver Walter: Our customers in test automation and test stand construction are increasingly under cost pressure. At the same time, demands for system availability and flexibility are rising. Where everything used to be built in 19-inch technology, customers now want electronics integrated into standard cabinets with minimal mechanical effort. A modular system allows precise scaling of DC supply to actual system needs, saving space, cost, and CO2 emissions. In redundant systems, adding one extra Camtec power module is enough, while conventional solutions require another large and expensive power supply for the same primary output. Camtec devices are designed for customer-oriented integration. Plug-and-play and easy configuration allow complex DC supplies as master-slave programmable power supplies to be networked in minutes. Even high-power solutions in the upper kW range are cost-effective, fast, and low in CO2 emissions.

How does Bürklin perceive customer requirements?

Helmut Müller: In recent years, we’ve seen significant changes in customer demands for modular systems. Customers increasingly value flexibility and customization to efficiently implement specific projects and prototypes. This is reflected in demand for smaller order quantities and a wider product range. To meet these needs, we have expanded our portfolio, for example, by integrating redundancy modules that offer additional security and scalability. These additions allow us to provide customers with tailored and future-proof solutions.

How does Bürklin contribute to expanding Camtec’s market position?

Helmut Müller: Last year, we added 145 new Camtec items to our portfolio. In the future, we will continue integrating new product innovations (NPIs) to offer customers the latest and highest-quality solutions. The partnership with Bürklin allows Camtec to reach a broader audience and enter new markets. Our worldwide shipping enables Camtec to further internationalize its business and reliably supply customers in different regions. Another key aspect is the increased visibility of Camtec through our expertise in SEO and SEA. Targeted digital marketing ensures Camtec products are optimally positioned and easily found. Bürklin itself has a long history and excellent reputation in electronics distribution. Many companies trust us for sourcing high-quality products – a trust benefit that Camtec also enjoys. Our well-established logistics and distribution infrastructure supports fast, reliable delivery. The long-term partnership between Camtec and Bürklin stabilizes customer trust in both companies and strengthens market position in the long run.

Oliver Walter: Bürklin has been an important supplier of components and devices to industry for 70 years. The company continuously evolves – for example, the new webshop is a significant step forward. Customer proximity and product discoverability are excellent. We benefit from this as a manufacturer. Bürklin reaches our customers across industries. The Bürklin shop and our products are easily found via web search. This, along with Bürklin’s large existing customer base, allows us to acquire new customers and applications daily. Bürklin’s logistics are optimal, covering small to medium series – ideal for Camtec products aimed at project business. Together with Bürklin, we reach our customers better and meet demand in various industries quickly and efficiently.

What are your joint revenue growth goals?

Both: We are optimistic that we can double 2024 revenue this year!

Which joint projects or initiatives are planned?

Helmut Müller: This year, Bürklin plans various supplier marketing activities focusing on press work and promoting partnerships. The goal is to better communicate supplier collaboration to the market and increase partner visibility. Currently, Bürklin is planning its own customer event, where Camtec would have the opportunity to present itself as a competent manufacturer and showcase its product portfolio and technical expertise to a specialized audience.