Growth Continues at KAAST Machine Tools, Inc.
The innovative company is preparing to celebrate 14 years in business in the U.S. and is growing quickly, opening a new showroom in Chicago, and doubling its staff.
Posted: April 9, 2024
KAAST Machine Tools, Inc. is proud to present one of the widest lineups of chip-making and fabrication equipment on the market. This innovative company is preparing to celebrate 14 years in business in the U.S. and is growing quickly, opening a new showroom in Chicago, and doubling their staff.
The new KAAST showroom is proud to have received such a warm welcome in Schiller Park, IL. The monthly open houses, modeled after those held at the Philadelphia headquarters, have been successful with current and potential customers stopping by to see the new space. Inside Sales Specialist Patrick Oplt is available to provide walk thrus, machine demos, and quotes to those in the region. Patrick joined KAAST in January of 2024 and brings a wide depth of knowledge about both machine tools and manufacturing techniques.
Chris Golas has been promoted to Sales Manager after joining KAAST as an Inside Sales Specialist in 2022. Chris will help lead all sales efforts and work closely with marketing to drive growth. He will also continue to grow the large network of relationships he has established over the last year and half across the southern US.
In a new position at KAAST, Marketing Manager Jess Gretch received her BFA from the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. In addition to her graphic design skills, Jess brings a wealth of web-development and marketing knowledge. With over 60k annual visitors, www.KAAST-USA.com has been updated to include customer testimonials, new product videos, and a streamlined organization. “Many [machine] websites want to cram as much information on to the page as they can, resulting in information overload for the customer. We determined what key information our customers are looking for and have worked to provide this information a simple to use and easy to understand layout. We also reinforced our belief that the best sales tool we have is a satisfied customer. We are working to gather testimonials for every machine ever sold by KAAST for publication on our new site and hope prospective customers will see firsthand that KAAST is the production partner they have been looking for,” Jess explains.
The service department is pleased to welcome Derrick Jardine and his son, Logan Jardine, as new service technicians. Derrick, who goes by Rick, comes to KAAST with an extensive mechanical repair background. He is “excited to get to work on newer machinery. My experience is mostly in troubleshooting 40-year-old machines with no manuals.” Alongside Rick, his son Logan is enjoying the hands-on training this position requires. “There are just so many (KAAST) machines. My goal is to be able to learn as much as I can about as many of them as I can,” Logan explains.
Another area of growth for the company is an increase of in-stock inventory. “The companies we support don’t have time to wait for a machine to be manufactured to order. When they call, they are looking for a machine to that is ready to be wired up and get to work,” Chief Success Facilitator Ebony Goldsmith explains, “prospective customers, however, prefer to have machines they can see and try out in person before they purchase. We understand a capital investment with a new supplier can be a scary thought for some companies. With references from existing owners/ operators and hands on machine demos we try to soothe away those fears and build customer confidence.”
KAAST Machine Tools, Inc. is proud to offer one of the most diverse and extensive lineups of machine tools in the industry. From mills and lathes to grinders and saws, and from brakes and rolls to presses and ironworkers, KAAST makes it easy to find the right machine for your application. We stand behind our machines with quick shipping of spare parts and excellent after-sales service. Need in-person training or installation? No problem! KAAST Machine Tools, Your Production Partner.
