Quality and productivity optimised

Quickslide has partnered with Rapierstar to help raise the bar on manufacturing efficiency.

Rapierstar’s window and door fasteners are now used in the assembly of Quickslide’s core PVCU product range. Following an initial fastener health check, which is a review conducted by Rapierstar’s technical consultants to assess the use and application of the many different fastener types across the factory, the company supported Quickslide to implement changes that will rationalise fastener use and streamline assembly.

Ben Weber, managing director of Quickslide, said: “Fasteners make such an important contribution to the overall quality of our finished products that we simply do not take any risks. We believe that skimping on these smallest but most important of components risks catastrophic failures.

“Poor quality, cheap fasteners that are not necessarily fit for purpose could ultimately cost us dearly, including reputationally, when they inevitably fail or spoil through corrosion for example. That’s why we value the quality of Rapierstar’s products, of course, but their wider support has been important too. In particular, advice from Rapierstar’s specialists on selecting the optimum fixings for each and every element of assembly has also helped us reduce production time and improve the overall integrity of our finished frames.”

Rapierstar’s practical support has included putting procedures in place to ensure Quickslide’s fabricators can easily identify and use the right fasteners in every aspect of assembly. This has included the production of quick-reference application charts for the factory and clearer labelling.

Improvements have also been achieved through Rapierstar’s stock management support and the creation and use of bespoke order forms. All these steps help Quickslide to manage fastener stocks more accurately to prevent the risk of supply shortages or unwelcome product substitution.