Logikal MES roll out continues

Forterro has completed the installation of its Logikal MES production tracking system at Kingfisher Windows in Leeds, as the trade, retail and commercial fabricator continues to invest in its digital infrastructure designed to achieve tangible improvements in customer service.

The team from Forterro is said to have spent a week at Kingfisher’s factory installing the system, which includes barcode scanning terminals at key machinery and fabrication stations so that aluminium frames can now be tracked in the same way as PVC-U frames for the first time.

The MES system has scan points at every production step within the factory ensuring that every process and operation is automatically reported, giving the operational and management team real-time visibility of progress.

Ash Ellis, Kingfisher’s general manager, says they are already very impressed: “We signed up for Logikal MES after we saw the demo at the FIT Show last year, because we felt it would give us new levels of insight into our operation that would help us enhance our efficiency and reduce the potential for errors and manufacturing deviations.

“We’re already seeing those benefits. We can see the status of every order at the touch of the button and analyse any delays or issues much more quickly than before. We have also been able to eliminate paperwork in the factory which is a real step forward and we can also report almost instantly to customers on the progress of their order,” Ash continued.

“We now have access to consistently accurate information on every job and that is having a positive impact on internal as well as external communication. As we continue to interrogate and work with the MES system, we’re confident that we will see further payback in terms of increased throughput and potentially reduced lead times.”

Daniel Hodges, sales team lead at Forterro, added: “We’re really excited to see the continuing roll out of Logikal MES in the UK. Kingfisher led the way from the start by becoming the first fabricator to sign up for the system and now that it is installed, they are setting the pace in terms of leveraging maximum benefit.”

Kingfisher Windows has been a Logikal licence holder since 2010 and uses the software to support its aluminium fabrication in Reynaers, Stellar and Senior Architectural Systems.