Pearl Music Europe Sea Freight

We at Seacon Logistics are very happy with our clients, which is why we’re keen to share some stories of great collaborations. Here we talk to Hans Waeyen, Warehouse & Logistics Manager at Pearl Music Europe.  

Pearl Music Europe is a subsidiary of Pearl Musical Instrument Company, headquartered in Japan. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Belfeld. Pearl specialises in musical instruments, with a focus on drums and percussion instruments. 

Pearl Music Europe's distribution has grown and expanded over time. In 2004 Pearl Musical Instrument Company closed its English distribution centre, and in the years that followed it said goodbye to distributors in various European countries. From Belfeld, Pearl Music Europe distributes to customers in around 50 countries across Europe. At the parent company’s request, the subsidiary occasionally transports to the Middle East and Africa as well. 

Logistics project: Pearl Music Europe logo, By Seacon | Seacon Logistics

"We don't just trust any old transporter with the logistics process. We only outsource it to a business that can focus full attention on it and deliver what it promises."

Hans Waeyen Warehouse & Logistics Manager

Solution

"The initial contact between Pearl Music Europe and Seacon Logistics was made by our then director Max Ishi and Seacon employee Naoaki Okuda. The first containers were imported via Seacon in 2006. Since then, Seacon has been one of our regular distribution partners," Hans says. "The collaboration went very well right from the start. I now have good business contacts at all levels of Seacon's organisation, from the Board of Directors to the people on the workfloor." 

"Only around 150 containers a year are transported for Pearl, but we're nonetheless viewed and treated as important Seacon clients. The personal contact is always a pleasure, and we really feel at home with this company. Relationship management is very important, and it's something Seacon's very good at. For example, I was recently invited to attend a meeting at Seacon in response to some questions I'd asked. I arrived at the Seacon office to find a team of five employees from different departments waiting for me, ready to go over the questions with me and provide the answers." 

"We originally came to Seacon for container import. Over time we began to make use of other areas of expertise too. For example, we use Seacon for special transports. Pearl has a lot of artists under contract and we lend items to them. For example, if an American band comes to perform in Europe, we make sure that there's a drum kit ready for them in the space where they'll be performing. The transport we need is time-sensitive, and we demand good service and quality with our products, so we don't just trust any old transporter with the logistics process. We only outsource it to a business that can focus full attention on it and deliver what it promises. That's why we choose Seacon."

"We also make use of the support provided by Seacon's customs department. For example, a while back we needed to ensure that we complied with CITES agreements, because a musical instrument was made of a protected species of wood. We needed special import permits for the instrument. Those are not something we work with on a daily basis. It's great that Seacon is able to support us with this and take the worry off our hands," Hans says. "The same is true of Brexit. The United Kingdom is Pearl's second most important market. Seacon has organised seminars on Brexit and published a whitepaper too, keeping us up to date on the potential consequences. The fact that they follow developments and inform customers about them makes things much easier for us." 

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