In the international cleaning equipment trade, the choice of OEM partner often has far-reaching consequences. Recently, the head of German client KEDI made a special trip to the YISHENG manufacturing base located in the Dingyuan Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park in Anhui Province. This was the first on-site factory visit since the two parties met online and completed a sample order. Previously, KEDI was forced to find alternative suppliers because the brand it represented was acquired by a US-listed company, which drastically increased the barriers to distribution rights. After rigorous testing of YISHENG's product performance and in-depth verification through this factory visit, KEDI finally confirmed the OEM cooperation for 7 floor scrubbers on-site and highly praised YISHENG's price advantages and German market protection policies.
1. Distribution Changes After Acquisition: Former Distributor Forced to Find Another Way Out
KEDI is a veteran cleaning equipment distributor in the German market, having previously held the exclusive sales rights for the Hefei Gaomei Cleaning Equipment (now Tennant Gaomei) brand in the German market for a long time. In January 2019, Tennant, the American cleaning equipment giant, officially completed its acquisition of Hefei Gaomei. Following the acquisition, while Gaomei maintained independent operations, its brand strategy and channel management gradually aligned with Tennant's global system.
This change directly impacted KEDI's distribution rights. According to a KEDI representative, after the acquisition, the review standards and performance requirements for agency contracts significantly increased, making it much more difficult for small and medium-sized distributors to maintain exclusive distribution rights. Faced with this change, KEDI began searching the market for alternative suppliers with OEM customization capabilities, high-quality products, and a willingness to provide regional protection.
2. Online Connection, Sample Testing Wins the "Ticket"
During its search, KEDI contacted YISHENG through online channels. After learning that YISHENG supported OEM customization services for floor scrubbers, KEDI decided to first purchase a batch of XS65 model floor scrubber samples for in-depth testing.
After the samples arrived in Germany, the KEDI team conducted a comprehensive performance evaluation of the product—comparing it point by point with mainstream models in the European market, from cleaning efficiency and battery life to ease of operation and operational stability. More importantly, KEDI distributed the samples to its downstream end-users for feedback on actual use. The results were satisfactory: end-users reported excellent cleaning performance, smooth operation, and a quality level that met the acceptance standards for commercial cleaning equipment in the German market.
The excellent performance of these samples earned YISHENG the initial trust of KEDI and facilitated the substantial progress of this factory visit to China.
3. On-site Factory Visit: Larger Scale than Gaomei, Capacity and Customization Flexibility Recognized
This visit by the German customer was a crucial step in the transition of cooperation between the two parties from online to offline. The YISHENG team arranged full accompaniment from reception to workshop tours, showcasing the German customer's complete manufacturing capabilities across the entire supply chain, from sheet metal processing and rotational molding to final assembly and testing.
The KEDI representative visited YISHENG's sheet metal workshop, rotational molding workshop, assembly workshop, and parts storage area. After witnessing firsthand the mountain of mold reserves, the complete production line management system, and the full range of spare parts inventory, the KEDI representative expressed clear surprise and approval.
KEDI stated frankly that YISHENG's manufacturing base is larger than its previous partner, Hefei Gaomei, with more abundant production capacity and greater customization flexibility. This intuitive impression is crucial for KEDI, which is seeking a stable and sustainable OEM partner—larger production capacity means more guaranteed order delivery, and stronger customization capabilities mean more room for product differentiation.
4. Seven Floor Scrubber OEM Models Finalized on-site, Market Protection Policy a Key Strategist
Following the factory visit, both parties immediately entered into business negotiations. After a comprehensive evaluation of the product catalog, technical parameters, and delivery capabilities, KEDI confirmed on-site the selection of seven floor scrubber products for OEM production cooperation, covering different specifications and configuration requirements to build a complete product matrix for the German market.
More importantly, YISHENG made two core commitments during the negotiations: first, to offer competitive OEM prices during the contract period; second, to implement regional market protection for the selected seven products in Germany, meaning that the same products will be prohibited from being sold to other distributors in Germany during the contract period, strictly preventing cross-selling.
For KEDI, the market protection policy is as significant as the price advantage. Previously, due to the acquisition of its brand, KEDI's exclusive distribution rights were loosened, leading to uncertainty in its channel development investment. YISHENG's proactive commitment to regional protection means that KEDI can confidently invest resources in product promotion, channel establishment, and brand cultivation in the German market, without worrying about price chaos caused by the same products appearing in the hands of other distributors.
A KEDI representative stated that YISHENG's competitive pricing and strong market protection exceeded expectations, expressing confidence in the long-term cooperation.
5. One Factory Visit, the Beginning of a Long-Term Relationship
From online acquaintance to sample testing, from the initial factory visit to OEM contracts for seven products, the cooperation between YISHENG and German company KEDI has progressed from "trial" to "deep cultivation" in just a few months. For KEDI, YISHENG filled the supply gap left by the acquisition of its original agency brand; for YISHENG, entering the German market signifies another victory in Europe's core cleaning equipment market.
A YISHENG representative stated that the German market has extremely high requirements for product quality and supplier qualifications, and KEDI's choice is a full recognition of YISHENG's manufacturing capabilities and service system. In the future, YISHENG will continue to cultivate the European OEM market, using its solid manufacturing strength and flexible cooperation policies to help more overseas distributors build stable product supply and market competitive barriers.
