We spoke to one of our customers, Daniel Pieterson from Metaltex, about their installation of ZOOMFAB smart factory ‘Manufacturing Productivity Suite’. Daniel is a welder by trade the General Manager of Metaltex a company that he now part-owns.
Tell us about Metaltex?
Metaltex has been manufacturing for over 40 years. We (there are 3 partners) purchased the business in 2016. In those 6 years, we have invested a lot of money building our capacity and adding New Equipment. We have great staff, most of whom have been with us for many years.
Why did you invest so much in new machinery?
Mainly demand. We saw an opportunity and didn’t want to be conservative in our approach to the business. We wanted to embrace new technology and be a Market leader. We wanted to be at the forefront of the industry and have the capability to take on more business.
How did the new machines help with this?
Customers expect accuracy in what we produce, and new technology can help us do that. We wanted to be the best. Metaltex has always had a good name in the industry, we wanted to build on that name.
Has that helped?
Yes. It gave us more control over what we do. We don’t outsource our service and our customers are very happy with what we do. It gives us the opportunity to provide a full turnkey solution that includes internal quality systems as well as our own internal drafting capability. It is important to give our customers the best and these machines allow us to do this. We have the ability to do this the right way.
You mentioned liability, what does that mean?
Having all these services in-house creates better quality control so we know we will do it right. We have 99% in-house; we even have our own truck fleet. We did this because when transport lets you down it has a flow-on effect on your customers. So now we have a real commitment to having consistency and a can-do attitude. By being in control, we can have quality in every aspect of our delivery. Metaltex has had clients for over 20 years, and we never want to let them or any customer down.
What did you do before ZOOMFAB?
We needed the right information to make the right decisions. We had to rely on the machine operator to feed us the information. Using clocking in and out methods to clock jobs. This was very hard to maintain quality as it was all human reliance.
What made you think of ZOOMFAB?
We were one of the first in Victoria to have ZOOMFAB implemented. It was suggested by our machine suppliers.
What did ZOOMFAB do for your business?
First of all, it helped us manage our equipment. Things like alerting us for servicing needs, document management, WorkSafe issues etc. It helped us set up time vs. run runtime. It also allowed us to schedule maintenance of the machines.
What else does ZOOMFAB do?
ZOOMFAB is great as it is visual. We can see when there is an issue. It helps us ensure efficiencies. It gives us accountabilities as well as helps us manage charge-out rates. With a purchase of a machine, you can really see what it is doing. It gives accurate rates. Find out why the machine is breaking down. It is real-time information; I can sit in my office and see what the issues are.
As the owner of Metaltex what has ZOOMFAB done for you personally?
It gives me confidence that we are doing the right thing. When we purchased a new machine, we can analyse if it was the right decision. It makes the operator accountable. It gives me control and reassurance that I am doing the right things because it is real data coming from the machine and not the operator.
What are the things that keep you up at night?
Mainly our people. It is important to Metaltex to make sure we have the right culture. It makes the operator accountable. We don’t have to guess or rely on an opinion as all the information is recorded.
How does ZOOMFAB alleviate these concerns?
ZOOMFAB allows for what-if scenarios. For example, can we purchase another machine? ZOOMFAB lets us know how productive the current machine is and whether are we utilising its full potential. For example, if we have a lot of work and the machine seems like it is at full capacity ZOOMFAB can help us analyse what is really happening. We may find out that the machine is only using 50% of its potential. Knowing this is the difference between investing a lot of money in a new machine or fully utilising the current machine’s capacity. Before ZOOMFAB this was hard to determine. Now we know the answers and can make decisions on the information ZOOMFAB is giving us.
When it comes to ROI if our machine is running at 50% and we increase that by 5% then that is a huge impact on our bottom line. Thus, we are becoming more efficient and can take on more work at the same time.
With materials palletising. Do I need another brake press, or can I utilise my machine better? Previously we would have gotten most of our information from the operator now we can see what is really happening. It takes away human error. So now we really have our finger on the pulse.
What was it like working with ZOOMFAB Australia?
With the original ZOOMFAB we weren’t really using it to the full extent. ZOOMFAB Australia showed us what we could be doing. They know so much about our industry it is like having an advisor constantly helping you do things better. The original ZOOMFAB licence has now grown, and we have taken on more modules and increased our licence systems. ZOOMFAB Australia understands us. They know what we do! They know the industry! They are honest and will always help us be more efficient in what we do. It is a 2-way street with them, and they now are an integral part of our business and always will be.
For more information https://metaltex.com.au/
