THE CHALLENGE
Investing in marketing activities with no way to measure returns
Founded in 1931, Kanthal has been a leader in industrial electric heating technology for decades. But the company’s marketing approach hadn’t kept pace with how its customers wanted to engage.
“We believe that our customers today want to engage with us in a different way, often going online to learn more about us,” says Patrik Johansson, Marketing Communications Project Manager at Kanthal.
Three challenges drove the need for change:
- Cost-effectiveness. The team was investing heavily in non-digital activities without seeing meaningful returns.
- Measurability. There was no way to understand the impact of marketing actions or know when to pivot.
- Wider reach. Kanthal needed to find new contacts and grow the business beyond existing relationships.
THE SOLUTION
One platform for accessible, professional, and measurable content
After evaluating options, Kanthal moved forward with Showpad — a platform they were already familiar with and one that fit naturally into their workflows. The benefits became clear quickly.
“The three key benefits we see with Showpad are: accessibility — we have everything gathered on one platform. Professional appearance — we come across as more polished when meeting customers. And intelligence — we can see the impact of our actions,” says Johansson.
The partnership has also continued to evolve. “Showpad continuously evolves their tool, adding new features that we can use and evaluate,” he adds.
“Showpad continuously evolves their tool, adding new features that we can use and evaluate.”
Patrik Johansson
Marketing Communications Project Manager at Kanthal
THE IMPACT
A marketing team that can finally show what’s working
With Showpad, Kanthal’s marketing team now has the measurement capabilities they lacked before. They can track how content performs, see when customers engage, and make data-driven decisions about where to focus — turning marketing from a cost center into a visible contributor to sales growth.
The platform also changed how Kanthal shows up in front of customers. Reps now present a more polished, professional image — an important differentiator in an industry built on long-term technical relationships.
WHAT’S NEXT
A persistent, step-by-step approach to digital transformation
Kanthal’s experience offers a roadmap for other manufacturers navigating digital change. Johansson’s advice is practical:
“Start small — focus on introducing one thing at a time and ensure everyone is on board. Build a strong relationship with sales — if you’re not aligned, it will be difficult to get them to adopt new tools. And be persistent — you can’t change a company’s behavior overnight.”
The company plans to continue its partnership with Showpad, exploring new features and expanding usage across the organization.