It’s amazing to think that the first web page was produced less than 30 years ago. Communications have been completely transformed and it’s difficult to remember a time before the Internet. We have embraced a 24/7 society in which we shop online, bank online, work online, entertain ourselves online, communicate with friends and family online and even fall in love online. Through the current pandemic where would we have been without our digital infrastructure and where would family and friends have been without the likes of Zoom and Teams? – “I think you’re on mute, Nana!”.
People have stopped ‘going’ online and are instead continuously ‘being’ online across a range of websites, apps and smart devices. To some who look back through rose-tinted glasses at a pre-Web world, it might be with a deal of regret, but to many more who have warmly embraced digital, and to a younger generation who are digital natives, the Web has opened up the world with infinite opportunities and relationships.
Minkon Ltd was an early adopter and Fortafix has had a continuous online presence for over 20 years. Mal Dodds, managing director, explains, “We’ve always believed in the power of the Web and have always made sure our business and marketing strategies include a strong digital emphasis. For us, it isn’t a matter of remembering ‘to do some digital’, but instead how we can harness its power to reach more people and service customers better. We have grown and developed our online presence over the years and are pleased to announce the recent launch of our new website www.fortafix.com.”
The new Fortafix website is eCommerce enabled, meaning customers can easily purchase the brand’s core range of products at any time of day. Stuart Smith, operations manager, explains, “Although we’ve used the likes of eBay, we felt it was important that guests experience the brand more fully when buying our products online. The website is the result of a two year project. We wanted a perfect balance between ‘form’ and ‘function’, with a simple structure, an intuitive navigation and an ability to showcase our full range in as clear a way as possible. The bespoke site has been built to our exacting standards and includes a range of useful features for clients and customers. We have an easy-to-use ‘downloads’ page, with a comprehensive listing of data and safety sheets. We have a media ‘gallery’, a ‘product guide’, an ‘updates’ page and, for those interested in our long history, a fascinating timeline of the brand.”
The important development has given Minkon Ltd an opportunity to carry out a full brand review and the company has decided to transform its Texform brand into a product range of Fortafix. Mal Dodds explains, “Texform is a range of heat shields, thermal blankets, gaskets and specialised textile products used for filtration or encapsulation in high temperature and environmental applications. Bringing the range under Texform will mean customers can more easily associate our products. It also means the Texform range can benefit from the recognition “Fortafix” enjoys – the same brand, quality and service enjoyed by customers for over 112 years.”
