Green lifestyles, recycling and product reuse may be in vogue now but 20 years ago, Tim Baker had already hit upon an idea to reduce the amount of optical instrumentation destined for landfill.
Using his 15 years of experience within the optical instrumentation industry, he launched a used instrument business as a way of selling on unwanted optical practice kit. ‘I just thought rather than dispose or scrap, why not recycle and reuse,’ says the BIB chief executive. From that idea, a business refurbishing and reselling equipment was born.
Baker says from the outset the plan was to use this starting point as a stepping stone towards the creation of a new independently-owned ophthalmic instrument supplier. One of the first iterations of the business saw the capital from selling refurbished equipment being re-invested to develop a UK instrument brokerage business under the title Bakers Instrument Brokers. Through this, BIB offers a way for practices to resell equipment and dispose of in a financially and ecologically sound way.
This took off and by 2000 BIB had set up a website to allow customers to upload their own equipment for brokerage. Shortly afterwards, BIB took on its first stock items through distribution deals.
Baker says BIB’s reputation as a seller of used equipment did not make it easy to break into the new equipment market. ‘I fought my way in, but there was always a stigma attached with being just a used dealer, which I had to overcome,’ he says. ‘In retrospect we now have global manufactures constantly knocking on our door offering us distribution contracts. How the tables have turned.’
By 2001 BIB had moved to new premises and started to take on staff. It also attended its first Optrafair, which Baker says took the business to a new level and helped establish BIB as a new supplier.
Over the years BIB worked to develop the distribution side of its business becoming agents for leading global manufacturers such as Optopol-REVO OCTs, FISO-Furniture, Righton-Clinical, diagnostic & refraction, Medmont-Diagnostic, Accutome and Keeler to name but a few.
Today the used equipment makes up only 10% of the business, but still plays a vital role in offering customers a complete solution when upgrading or simply looking for a disposal solution.
Twelve years ago, Ron Wright joined Baker as a partner in the business. Together he and Baker have become familiar figures at trade shows and events.
From Wright’s experience in sourcing instrumentation he carefully looked to build on each category of instrumentation required from furniture to clinical and diagnostic solutions. ‘We now probably have the largest portfolio of equipment offering our customers the right solution to meet any budget,’ says Wright. ‘With such a strong portfolio of equipment we recently expanded in to ophthalmology and are now a preferred supplier to the NHS.’
To showcase this portfolio BIB’s website was launched at bibonline.co.uk and this is kept updated with the latest kit and offers, resources such as catalogue downloads and includes an ecommerce facility.
As well as developing into new equipment sales the duo are also proud of their independence. ‘We are constantly scanning the global market for new and innovative equipment. The fact that we are independent means we are not tied to one brand so we can offer alternatives,’ says Baker. ‘We focus on innovations from around the world and continually strive to recognise market trends and anticipate requirements to ensure we stay at the competitive forefront. We welcome new ideas, from conceptual to the finished products, from individuals to established companies. We also encourage R&D centres to work with us to use our experience and our understanding of customer needs to bring new ideas to market. We are only as good as our next product offering so the relationship with our existing and new manufacturing partners is of paramount importance to our ongoing success.’
While providing the right product is important Wright stresses: ‘The equipment business still remains a people business and the 70 years of experience Ron and I have in the sector allows us to provide well-informed, trusted and honest professional advice.’
This ethos runs through the whole business. As well as its membership of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, BIB also strives to offer strong aftersales support and service to maintain repeat sales. It also highlights the need for regular calibration and maintenance of practice equipment. As well as ensuring its staff are fully trained it gets involved with Continuing Education and Training programmes and loans instruments for educational purposes and support of enhanced optical services such as minor eye conditions services. The business has also attained ISO-9001. Today, BIB continues its growth by achieving a double digit turnover in growth year on year.
Its headquarters are based in Stevenage where it has a purpose-built industrial unit boasting a refurbishment and servicing workshop, warehousing, offices and showrooms featuring the firm’s latest offerings. The duo take great pride in their staff and say customers appreciate expert service and advice. ‘If you phone BIB you talk to a real person and someone who knows what they are talking about,’ says Wright.
Despite starting with the intention of one day becoming a distributor Baker is surprised by the speed of the business’s success. ‘The dramatic growth of BIB has exceeded all of my expectations because I started in such a small way and in used equipment,’ he says. BIB has now transformed itself into a major recognised supplier of new instrumentation with aftersales and service at its heart.
Baker concludes: ‘This is now our 20th year in business, a real milestone and a fantastic journey in an industry that has rewarded me with a successful business but also many lifelong friendships’.