How did you get to your role and what’s been your journey into the marketing manager role at Igus?
Originally, I never imagined being in the engineering and manufacturing world. I started off studying in Canterbury, where I did some modules focused on digital marketing. I also completed an internship in PR and thought that marketing was the route I wanted to take. But my first role was actually marketing for a school, and I quickly realised that it wasn’t quite the right fit for me.
Then, an opportunity came up at Igus, which is based in Northampton where I lived, so I decided to go for it. The job title was for a Search Engine Optimiser and Content Creator. I had a lot of content creation experience and had dabbled a bit in SEO, though not extensively. I thought I’d give it a go. Before applying, I quickly did some research into Igus and the manufacturing world. Fortunately, I got the job, did about a month’s training in Germany, and then it just took off from there. I started about 5 years ago when the team was quite small, and now it’s grown significantly.
What does Igus do?
Igus is a polymer manufacturer. We make polymer parts like bearings, energy chains, cables, and more recently, robotics and automation components. We work across a wide range of industries, from medical and automotive to offshore oil and gas. If something moves, we’re likely involved somewhere. What sets us apart is that we use polymer materials rather than traditional metal, which offers a lot of advantages in terms of wear resistance, weight, and cost.
Can you tell us about the marketing team setup at Igus?
When I started, there were maybe 3 or 4 people in the marketing team. Now, we have quite a few external telemarketers, and the core marketing department consists of 8 people. Igus has two main divisions — ECS (Energy Chains, Cables, etc.) and BRG (Linear Systems, Bearings, Robots) — so it’s quite a challenge to find people who know everything about both divisions and all the industries they serve.
We have two people on the team, known as "shop owners", who look after each division and manage the customer journey online. We also have someone focused on SEO, Google Ads, and other digital marketing areas. Our team works on a campaign basis, with different people handling graphic design, content, social media, and more. Communication and collaboration are key to how we operate.
Why has Igus invested so heavily in the marketing team, and what are the key metrics and stakeholders you're accountable to?
When I joined, Igus was really ramping up its investment in marketing to help the company expand and grow. With so many industries and hundreds of thousands of different parts, Igus recognised the need for a strong marketing team to identify which bearing, chain, or product works best in each sector, and how to target it effectively while still maintaining a consistent brand and customer experience.
There’s been a massive drive towards digital growth — expanding our online webshop and platform and supporting the sales team with lead generation, SEO, and digital marketing. We’re in constant communication with directors, product managers, and industry specialists to ensure our efforts are aligned with business needs. The key metrics we track include website traffic, online orders, lead generation, and customer engagement.
What have been some of the biggest challenges in transitioning from an educational marketing role to manufacturing?
The biggest challenge has been learning that there’s so much more to marketing in manufacturing than just promoting a great product. You need to engage with every part of the customer journey — from the moment they place the order, to the person receiving the goods, to the engineer who needs to ensure the product is right for the job. You have to reach all these different stakeholders, not just the final purchaser.
It’s not just about having great products that customers buy. There’s a lot of pre- and post-marketing involved. Having a bigger team and working closely with the sales department has really helped us understand and navigate the challenges of working across different industries and with various customer touchpoints.
How closely do you work with the sales team, and how do you ensure alignment between sales and marketing?
We have weekly sales calls every Friday, where marketing is always present to provide updates on what we’ve been working on. We want to be seen as one team — we’re generating leads for sales, and once they’ve closed those deals, we’re working to build and nurture the relationship with those customers.
Sales sits just behind us in the office, so we can easily collaborate. We also use team chats and digital tools to stay aligned. It’s a two-way street — we share analytics and insights with the sales team, but we also listen to them since they speak to customers every day and have real-time feedback on what’s working and what’s not.
What would you say has been a standout success or campaign that has really made an impact?
A major success has been our push to improve our online presence and drive more customers to order directly from our website. When I started, the online presence was far behind where it needed to be. We ran campaigns offering incentives, like reduced shipping costs for online orders, and educated both our customers and sales team on the benefits of ordering online.
This campaign had a real impact — we saw a significant increase in online orders, which now account for about 10% of our total orders. Some customers now prefer to order exclusively online because it’s more convenient for them. This digital transformation has been a big success for us.
What are your top 3 tips for other marketers working in the engineering and manufacturing sector?
Be transparent. It’s easy to only showcase positive metrics, but it’s important to be honest about what’s not working. The quicker you can identify underperforming initiatives and make changes, the better.
Build relationships and share knowledge. Connecting with other marketers — whether through partner companies or industry events — is invaluable. Gaining different perspectives and learning from one another is key to professional development.
Get out of the office. Don’t get stuck behind your desk all day. Make an effort to visit customers, tour facilities, and immerse yourself in the real-world challenges of your industry. This hands-on approach will make you a better, more informed marketer.
Can you tell us more about The Iguverse and the factory tours you offer?
This year, we’ve set a goal to get more people to visit our facility in Northampton. We wanted to showcase the full range of our product offerings, as many customers only know us for one specific product line.
We now offer comprehensive factory tours, where visitors can experience our cable and connector areas, try their hand at cable crimping, and see our robotics and automation capabilities. We’ve also recently opened The Iguverse, which offers a virtual reality experience where customers can immerse themselves in our products and test them in their own machines and applications.
This has been particularly useful for industries like oil and gas, where physically testing products can be costly and dangerous. The VR experience lets customers safely test our parts in their own equipment before making any investment. We’re seeing growing interest in this innovative approach to customer engagement and product testing.
Find Ashleigh on LinkedIn or visit the Igus company page.