Gasser Chair Co. and Netherlands-based Gaming Support will announce at ICE London their new partnership that will extend the Youngstown, Ohio-based company’s reach in Europe by joining forces in 11 countries.
Gaming Support, an outsourced gaming services provider, will supply, service and stock Gasser seating products exclusively to its customers. Holland Casinos is one of its major customers.
Both companies already have a close connection. Gasser, a leader in hospitality and casino seating, has supplied seating to Gaming Support for 15 years. That bond is expanded with this alliance, according to Gasser Communications Manager Kevin Buck.
“It gives us a lot more coverage, and we don’t have to worry about gaming licenses because Gaming Support has a lot of those already,” Buck said. “It will be substantial. There will be new properties we can target now — specifically video arcades — venues that hold slot machines. We have the opportunity to stock some products in Europe and give us the ability to target the arcades.”
Negotiations began at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas in October and were completed in November. The deal encompasses Gaming Support’s European network, which includes The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Greece, Sweden and Finland, Buck said.
In order to further personalize the sales experience, Gasser will ship products directly to Gaming Support, who will then provide “white glove” delivery service to locations, Buck said.
“It helps us be better positioned to serve our customers,” Buck said. “We’ve always been in Europe and had success but now we have more coverage and support. Gaming Support is there to service our products and make repairs in the field. On top of that Gaming Support has a lot of experience working with casinos, and we will get input from them on working on some new product alongside them.”
Gaming Support CEO Lucien van Linden credits Gasser’s high-quality operation and their shared vision that “binds them in business.” Both Gaming Support and Gasser Chair are family-owned companies that provide high levels of quality and service for their product lines, he said.
“We are proud to enter into a partnership with Gasser, which for us and our clients, represents the best American designer and manufacturer of seating solutions,” van Linden said. “Combining Gasser’s knowledge of seating with our technological innovations will lead to many new exciting developments.”
Gaming Support provides slot jackpot controllers and bonusing products, gaming equipment, accounting and asset management systems and casino signage.
Van Linden said their clients range from large, publicly-traded, multi-property casino operators and government-run casino operations to small, privately-owned, stand-alone casinos and gaming arcades. Gaming Support, he added, aims to expand its product lines to the arcades and Other Electronic Manufacturers (OEMs) in the future “by using Gasser’s more economical seating.”
Gasser’s European market specialist Hugo Van Der Hoek will facilitate the partnership as a liaison from his home base in England, Buck said. Van Der Hoek, a 20-year employee and longtime seating specialist, has gained comprehensive knowledge about Gasser products and services over two decades Since he works directly with Gaming Support, Van Der Hoek’s expertise will benefit both companies, Buck added.
“I have always participated in hospitality and gaming shows or exhibitions throughout Europe and will continue to cover these countries,” Van Der Hoek said. “Gaming Support already supplies local markets in many countries so they know the regulations and speak the languages. As we open new European markets, I’m excited to be part of this alliance between such high-quality organizations as Gasser and Gaming Support.”
Assisting Van Der Hoek across Europe is a special Gaming Support sales team that includes Ronald van Rijn, Rene Akker and Rebekka van der Sar. They will sell Gasser’s products to arcades, casinos, hotels and conference centers, Buck said.
Gasser, which was founded in 1946 as a family-owned business, also makes and sells seating for restaurants, banquet centers, hotels, country clubs, and poolsides.
