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The partners at Bloomfield Hills-based Ducker Research Co. Inc. are going to have fewer frequent-flier miles next year.
The industrial-marketing research company is opening an office overseas at the end of the year in Brussels, Belgium, a move expected to reduce employees' overseas travel and allow the company to grow further in Europe.
The new office will have a permanent staff, including a market-research analyst.
"Brussels is the first step in expanding our capabilities worldwide," said Joanne Ulnick, one of Ducker's five partners and the founder's daughter.
Ducker Research was founded in 1961 by William Ducker as a business-to-business, industrial-marketing company, filling a niche for "good industrial information," explained senior partner Ducker, "and we've never been without a client since we started."
The company's professional staff helps clients understand the market by interviewing and researching industry participants and conducting focus groups, steps that are called primary research. Finally, it takes this information, analyzes it and makes recommendations.
"We're detectives," said senior analyst Steven Klein.
The core of Ducker's business is market-structure analysis--researching the market size for a particular product or share of a competitive manufacturer to determine a company's expansion plans.
Additionally, Ducker helps companies that are developing new technologies or products, does customer-satisfaction studies and helps clients develop and maintain a competitive advantage.
Ducker's client list includes such giants as General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co.,...