FIT SHOW

Greg Beachim

Manufacturing Error Costs

More Than A Remake

Window remakes cost more than the material and labour, according to a leading window design software provider, who said unnecessary overheads can be significantly reduced if the right software is used, saving businesses thousands of pounds every month.

“If you factor in the delay to other products in the manufacturing schedule, the delivery to site, the potential delay to the project, and the reputational damage, then the cost of that one remake is much more than what you first estimated,” Greg Beachim, sales manager at First Degree Systems, said.

“Yet, these errors can be significantly reduced if the right design software is employed. Not only that, but further efficiencies can be realised that also add margin and profit to the bottom line.”

Window Designer automates what was once a manual process, where a product was drawn on to a sheet of paper, which was then emailed to a window company. Someone would then be employed to reprocess that order on to another system to be then sent down again to the fabricator to be re-processed again.

“At every stage you’re creating a point of risk, a point of cost, a point where extra problems can be added in,” Greg said.

“And, with input costs being pushed up due to the global supply shortages industry, some fabricators could face further margin erosion if they don’t do something about the costs they can manage, such as unnecessary waste.” The core Window Designer software allows fabricators to design windows that are manufactured and delivered to their customers. Other products, which improve efficiencies during manufacture and delivery, can then be bolted on.

“With Window Designer, we have created a seamless suite of products to get information from the homeowner to the window installation company, through manufacturing, and back out to the end user again,” Greg said.

Sales teams will sit with homeowners with Fengo2 to design windows that help win the sale. This gets fed into Cloud Retailer, which allows window installation companies to create instant quotes, release jobs to manufacture, and check the status of orders in real time.

Once the order is with the fabricator, Production Manager offers visual planning for greater productivity, and Delivery Manager populates delivery routes. Other bolt-on software includes Stock Assistant, an integrated stock management system, which offers just-in-time stock ordering, and Barcode Tracking, which gives full visibility of the work running through a given production facility.

Also available is Zandi, a CRM tool with pre-quote and pre-order facilities, which are seamlessly converted to Window Designer quotes and orders.

“A seamless integrated product speeds up the window design process, and reduces the possibility of error and the associated costs,” Greg said. “And by using the software to its fullest potential, you are also realising further benefits that create extra profit.”

Kubu Window Smart Sensor, Ready To Roll

Ryan Bromley, co-founder of Kubu

Following a thorough development and testing programme, the newest member of the Kubu Smart Security family is ready to launch, with the first Avantis ‘Works with Kubu’ FMT window locks now in stock, together with a brand-new website allowing consumers to purchase their all-new window sensors coming in a matter of weeks.

Kubu smart-sensor technology, and the platform that it runs on has been proven and perfected over several successful years in consumers’ homes across the UK. Avantis says the launch of the window sensor sees the introduction of ‘the most advanced smart security sensor yet in the fenestration industry’.

It is completely concealed within the frame, and is able to report a multitude of statuses, from ‘Fully Secure’ to ‘Open Wide’. It even knows when the window is in ‘Secure Night Vent’ mode.

The Kubu Window Sensor uses their own floating-sensor technology, which allows the sensor to move with the window over time, helping the sensor to overcome such issues as sashdrop. According to the company, this means it will always provide accurate status reports without the need for repeated setup or calibration.

As a smart home platform, Kubu provides both security and lifestyle benefits, including their ‘SureSecure’ location alerts, full smart-home integration, family sharing, under-attack, weather, and air-quality notifications.

All the latest Avantis hardware ‘Works with Kubu’ and will be showcased at the FIT Show on stand Q31 as Ryan Bromley, co-founder of Kubu points out. He said: “This year’s FIT Show is huge for the industry as we continue our march into the smart home market. Not only do we have a whole host of new developments in our Smart tech, but we now also have a comprehensive range of Avantis multi-point locks for both windows and doors that all ‘Work with Kubu’.”

He added: “We are developing additional products with other hardware manufacturers too. All this means our customers can now offer consumers Smart Security Technology throughout their homes. There’s no longer any need for fabricators and installers to wait. We’re smarter than ever, and we’re ready now, that’s why we are urging everyone in the industry to ‘Be Smart, Work with Kubu’.”

For information about working with Kubu as a manufacturing partner or Kubu Pro Installer visit www.kubu-home.com/trade