Window and Door Machinery
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Colin Crow, managing director of digital transformation specialist Sigma Dynamics. Now, more than ever, manufacturers who have harnessed the power of cutting-edge maintenance technology will be reaping the benefits. This certainly applies in the UK's glass manufacturing industry, where record demand coming as a result of the lockdown-induced home improvement boom has put pressure on supply chains and production lines....
By Neil Parton, managing director of Elumatec. One of the lessons of this year is that adaptability is essential: we have all experienced a sudden need to revise our plans. We’ve learned to think differently and adopt new ways of working. We’ve seen priorities change as people and businesses have made the very best of a challenging situation. While much...
Glass Times editor Nathan Bushell talks to Stuga’s Steve Haines about how window machinery is evolving to meet post-Covid demands. Steve Haines, sales director and co-owner of Stuga, always takes market fluctuations with a pinch of salt. Arguably window machinery’s most experienced man – having worked for (and owned) a number of companies before spending the last 22 years at...
Wayne Hunter, service and operations manager, Emmegi (UK), explains how using third-party service agents can end up costing you more. When budgets are tight, it’s understandable to want to reduce costs and save money. But saving money by turning to unauthorised third-party service agents, rather than sticking with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), can actually end up costing fabricators more,...
By Ian Latimer, managing director of Emmegi (UK). Compare the Emmegi product line up with most of the competition and you’ll see it’s considerably more extensive; where our competitors might have one model in each category, we will almost invariably have two, three, or even four. I think that’s because Emmegi in Italy is fundamentally a company run by engineers,...
By Neil Parton, managing director of Elumatec. In a year that’s had us reeling, it’s a timely moment to reflect on how we got here and understand whether we can rely solely on what we produce, or is there more to it? It doesn’t take much soul-searching to realise we wouldn’t be where we are without wrapping our service in...
By Elumatec. There’s no denying that 2020 has shaken up the industry. Many of us have been working from home and numerous businesses accustomed to a more traditional approach have been forced to embrace a somewhat daunting virtual world, but as a collective, the industry has shown that we can adapt and remain productive. As we see production pick up...
Stuga’s Steve Haines reflects on a busy time for the industry. “I don’t know what is going on. Our world has gone crazy.” These were the words of a major fabricator and Stuga customer who has several PVCU factories, all of which are flat out and have been since the end of lockdown. This fabricator is struggling to get hardware,...
With the window industry facing a post-lockdown boom, fabricators have been faced with the challenge of increasing their productivity and output while protecting their workforce. Dave Thomas, managing director of Haffner Murat, looks at the challenges this presents and why machine automation has never been so important. It’s fair to say that the fenestration industry has come back with a...
By Elumatec’s managing director Neil Parton. It’s hard to overstate the importance of delivering great service, whatever business you’re in and whatever it is you sell. It also goes without saying that quality is a critical factor in a purchasing decision. In our industry, for example, the wise buyer understands the long-term benefits of exceptional, adaptable engineering. But the magic...
By Neil Parton, Elumatec’s managing director. Hollywood has produced more than enough superhero movies; the real heroes walk amongst us every day, and often their brilliance does not receive the recognition it deserves. At the start of the Covid-19 lockdown, there was a groundswell of support for those who work in the NHS. Other key workers were applauded for keeping...
By Elumatec. Just a few months ago, before the world was turned on its head, Elumatec’s CEO talked about the organisation’s current and future status, saying “we are and will always be number one”. Although that might sound brash to some ears – and even over simplistic given what has transpired since – Frank R Keller wasn’t boasting. He was...
By Neil Parton, Elumatec. There is no credibility in glossing over the damage that Covid-19 has done to manufacturing; few industries have escaped, incomes have taken a tumble and soul-searching has become a national pastime. This virus may be around for some time and we need to develop resilience to it and its impact as soon as possible. We can...
By Emmegi. Tech Aluminium in Cannock is a successful aluminium fabricator with a list of commercial clients which includes the likes of London Zoo, Digbeth Coach Station and Merry Hill Shopping Centre. It also supplies windows, doors, bifold and sliding doors and balustrade to retail customers across the Midlands. It enjoys a reputation for craftsmanship and bespoke design work, much...
In 1999 Steve Haines linked up with Tom and Gareth Green of Stuga. Now director, Steve explains the company’s journey since then. In 1999, I approached Tom and Gareth Green of Stuga to discuss automated sawing and machining centers. Having experienced this type of automation, there was no competitive product that could make it mainstream for PVCU window and door...
Fyotto specialises in aluminium framed doors, and is often involved in flagship projects. While Fyotto has made the most of both 2D and 3D CAD technology since the early 1990s, today it is all about Elumatec’s EluCad software. The company’s Neil Clasby explains how it is transforming Fyotto’s operation. Fyotto is using an SBZ-122/74 machining centre, which can be used...
By Wayne Hunter, service and operations manager, Emmegi (UK). Anyone picking up a recent copy of Glass Times would be under no illusions that ‘training’ is the buzzword in this industry at the moment Like many other UK industries, we’ve finally woken up to the looming skills shortage in fenestration, and there are some impressive efforts being made to attract...
Cutting full-cycle times to as little as two minutes and 31 seconds, the Ever Theta four-head frame crimping machine has the potential to revolutionise the manufacture of aluminium frames, according to Paul Yeo, sales manager at Promac Group. When you watch the Ever Theta crimper it’s one of those jaws on the floor moments. It delivers so many benefits; working...
By Elumatec’s Neil Parton. In today’s Internet of Things environment, connectivity and integration are deemed key components of a successful strategy but having access to relevant information has always been a business need. It allows us to capitalise on our strengths and drive improvements. Using data to make informed decisions makes sense, but collecting and analysing that data has often...
Neil Parton, Elumatec’s managing director of Elumatec, explains how software can unite automation and bespoke projects. Many people think of manufacturing efficiency and get an image in their heads of Henry Ford’s production line and his insistence that you could have your new Ford in any colour – providing it was black. Ford was onto something: he didn’t build an...