TOLAG launches expanded business model

Spring 2023 sees the official launch of TOLAG’s new expanded business model.

The choice of company name, TOLAG, ‘Tall Oaks from Little Acorns Grow’, is poignant as the company has grown from strength to strength from inception to being the focal point for Chris and Karen McKenzie’s business endeavours.

With a commitment to offering a comprehensive level of technical, commercial, and marketing support, TOLAG is available to offer a level of service and expertise that is unprecedented, authentic and practical based upon the firm understanding that they have shown they can be trusted.

“In business we’ve always made friends, not customers,” says Chris McKenzie, who will head up TOLAG’s technical arm of the company. This approach is fundamental in the couple’s approach to a unique consultancy service, which has been established since the turn of the millennium, that offers integrity alongside a professional level of service.

Comprehensive skillset

These credentials have been fundamental to McKenzie’s approach to his career, which has seen McKenzie take a hands-on approach to the industry. This has included holding experienced technical roles, including European technical manager and tooling specialist for Preferred Tooling until moving to Stuart Ironsides and Henkel Surface Technologies as technical director for Asia Pacific. Having knowledge of both sides of the equipment sector, which at the time were new problems as the industry migrated from steel to aluminium substrate, is advantageous for companies looking to utilise this breadth of knowledge.

McKenzie has complemented his skillset with several senior commercial roles with the likes of CarnaudMetalbox Engineering, Stolle Machinery and the SLAC Group. This varied portfolio offers opportunities for companies looking to access a complete problem-solving service and unbiased equipment preselection, which is unique in the metal packaging sphere.

Over the past three decades, Karen McKenzie has travelled the world alongside Chris, offering stability and advice in all aspects of the problems or hurdles at hand. Most recently, she has become lauded for her frank and knowledgeable articles as an industrial journalist and engaging the social media side of customer support. Karen will be heading up the commercial arm of the company as marketing and commercial director.

Authenticity and transparency as key markers

Chris has been frustrated of late as they’ve travelled the world, seeing the depth of misinformation available.

“The industry has fallen into almost an acceptance that no toes will be stepped on, with no strong competitive force to alter the status quo,” he explains. “There used to be a battlefield of technical knowledge that has now transcended price cliffs to regional manufacturing location. This sounds plausible, but in reality, it’s an open cheque to the supplier.”

This lack of competitive edge has led McKenzie to resign his corporate management position to be true to himself and return to a focus of honesty, transparency and with his career experience, a non-aligned ability to offer consultancy on not only equipment, but project initiation and overview where needed.

A varied portfolio

With TOLAG having already made agreements and partnerships with many companies globally to offer a comprehensive package of support to the industry, the company is keen to expand its reach, with its market-leading offerings of:

  • Wet chemical and process problem solving consultancy
  • Equipment choice and negotiation support
  • Agency agreements for toll manufacturing of the TOLAG range of washer chemicals and lubricants
  • Complete washer chemical and front-end DWI lubricant supply through negotiated toll manufacturing local to the needs
  • Training of local technical support on improving plant efficiencies
  • Project or turnkey overview
  • Service support
  • Marketing, sales and service support training
  • Sales and cultural training for the international market
  • Brand analysis and realignment where necessary for a global perspective

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