Company Profile ST Rubber 24/4/09 12:28 pm Page 1
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COMPANY PROFILE
Erotic Trade Only May 2009
ST Rubber - on the ball
ST Rubber is one of Europe’s leading wholesalers of erotic goods and although it
has a reasonable number of UK customers, it is actively seeking more. But who
is ST Rubber? Dale Bradford found out...
I
f you don’t know the company, it
is worth pointing out at the start
that ST Rubber is no new arrival to
the adult market. It has a long and
rich history that stretches all the way
back to 1981, when the company
was formed in Germany by Adrian
Schneider and Werner Tiburtius.
That’s where the S and the T in the
company name came from, and the
Rubber suffix was added as it was
initially trading in condoms and
vending machines.
Fast forward a decade and ST
Rubber expanded into wholesale,
adding more and more products to its
portfolio from an increasing number
of manufacturers during the
subsequent years. Now, 28 years
later, the wholesale-only company
works with manufacturers from all
over the world, it has 35 employees
and is expecting to hit 10m euro
annual turnover in the next 18
months or so - and it’s still being run
by its original MDs.
ST Rubber not only buys from
suppliers all over the world, it also
sells worldwide too. It has customers
based in countries as far apart as
America, Australia, Singapore and
South Africa as well as the whole of
Europe. Within Europe it is strongest
in Germany, its homeland, and after
that the individual territories that are Adrian Schneider and Werner Tiburtius - still going - and growing - after 28 years in the business...
best for its sales are France,
Switzerland, the UK, Spain, Italy, cash on delivery, though once a represents include: Ansell; Big Teaze system to prevent end users obtaining
Scandinavia and Austria. satisfactory trading relationship has Toys; BMS; Durex; Shunga; Toko; confidential trade information.
been established ST Rubber may Joydivision; Pjur; Hot; London; Contact ST Rubber to obtain access.
DEALING WITH ST offer account facilities, whereby Lebenslust; Manix; Lifestyles; RFSU; Every October, during Venus
goods are despatched as soon as they Secura; Orion; Wet; ID; Shiatsu; Berlin, ST Rubber launches its main
ST Rubber is looking to grow its UK are ordered and invoices can be paid Titanmen; Lubexxx; Swede; O’My; product catalogue for the year ahead
business over the coming year and it within 8 - 14 days. Viamax; Frixion; K-Y; Dr Love; Pow; - the current one consists of 344
is keen to emphasise that its Kuhn added that she was pleased Intimate Organics; Andro Vita; pages - while mid-way through the
mainland Europe location should not with the progress the company is Sportsheets; Spartacus; OhMiBod; year it also releases an additional
be considered a barrier to dealing ‘news’ update, with the next one due
with it. this month. All customers are
“Some British retailers may think automatically sent these publications
we do not cover the UK market, but
“We want ST Rubber to be firmly established in the UK and the company also passes on POS
everyone is welcome to contact ST material from its many brands.
Rubber for business,” said the
market within the next five years.” Parcels leaving the warehouse will
company’s customer service agent for have POS added, when available, and
the UK, Sabine Kuhn. She added additional quantities can be
that the company had several making in the UK, but she still felt Inverma; Electric Lingerie; Fantasy requested.
English-speaking representatives, and that more could be achieved: “We Lingerie; Magic Silk; Lady Calston;
went on to explain how the firm already have some very good System Jo; Tantus; Screaming O and ST GROWTH
operates: “We process orders within customers in the UK,” she said. “But SToys - its own range of toys.
one to two working days, so UK we want to convince even more It carries the full ranges of many It’s no secret that for many firms
customers should receive their order customers of our delivery capacity brands, and most lines are in stock at operating in the adult sector,
within one week. The cost of carriage and reliability. We want ST Rubber to all times. The most recent addition to business has been a bit of a struggle
depends on the weight and number of be firmly established in the UK its catalogue is the Lelo range of over the last 18 months, but
parcels, but it is charged at cost market within the next five years.” ‘pleasure objects’, which Kuhn according to Kuhn, ST Rubber has
price. There is a minimum order expects to be very well received by its been an exception to the general
value of just 25 euro and we are ST STOCK customers. gloom: “Fortunately we cannot say
offering a special offer for all UK ETO New lines from its vast range of that,” she said. “We have a lot of
readers of free delivery for orders ST Rubber has a stock range of more brands are added to the company’s work and are expanding - for example
above 500 euro if they are a new than 5,000 different products, and it portfolio every month, and the most we are just in the process of building
customer.” is particularly strong in the condoms, recent can be seen on its B2B a huge new warehouse with additional
New customers are expected to lubes and oils, toys, lingerie and website, www.strubbi.com - note that offices. We are very optimistic about
pay for stock either in advance or BDSM sectors. The brands it this is protected by a password the future of the adult industry - if we
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