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More and more companies are departing China

More and more companies are departing China

17 Apr
sixpointtwo

More and more companies are departing China

How attractive is the factory of the world still?

 

For a long time, China was the ideal location for European companies to offshore all or part of their production. But the “factory of the world” has lost much of its popularity in recent years. More and more European companies are saying they are considering reshoring and nearshoring production lines. This development has been accelerated by the covid pandemic and the way China handled it. How attractive is the factory of the world really?

The main consideration for offshoring in China has always been that production is much cheaper there. Whether it is still much cheaper is now highly questionable. China was a low-wage country twenty years ago, but it hasn’t been that way for quite some time now. The advantage of cheaper raw materials has also reduced dramatically. Add to this the sharply increased transport costs, and it is clear that the calculation no longer leads to the desired outcome.

Deteriorating political climate
Financial considerations carry the heaviest weight in offshoring, but other considerations also play a role. Many entrepreneurs and expats say the political climate in China has deteriorated sharply over the years. Since Xi Jinping became president in 2013, the Communist Party of China has tightened its grip on society. And this has come with tangible consequences: more control, more oppression, increasing nationalism and an increasingly unfriendly attitude towards foreigners. A completely different factor that contributes to the quality of life is the poor air quality in Chinese industrial cities. Smog is still a familiar and annoying phenomenon.

Gamechanger: the covid pandemic
It has already been said: the discussion about offshoring and reshoring has become more urgent following the consequences of the covid pandemic. The zero-covid policy used by the Chinese government to tackle the pandemic had a profound impact on people’s lives. Entire neighbourhoods were closed off, mass testing took place, and people had to stay indoors. For example, it was impossible to buy food or water in Shanghai for the first weeks of the lockdown because the shops were closed. The pandemic also had major consequences for (production) companies. Many factories were closed during the lockdown. Other factories were running at half capacity. Travel restrictions delayed deliveries and transportation. The government’s handling of the lockdown in Shanghai seriously damaged confidence among foreign entrepreneurs.

How will China proceed after their zero-covid policy?
The Chinese government has now said goodbye to the zero-covid policy. It has done so under pressure from increasing domestic protests and declining growth in the Chinese economy. However, the concerns of foreign companies have not disappeared. For example, not all the restrictive measures have been lifted. A PCR test is still required to access schools and hospitals. Under the new guidelines, lockdowns may still be applied in regions designated as “high-risk areas”. In principle however, those lockdowns will be less drastic and not last as long. In the meantime however, the outside world has no insight into the size of the current wave of the infection. What if it turns out to be much bigger than the Chinese government expected?

Reducing risk: reshoring and nearshoring
In this situation, it is no wonder European companies with production sites in China are reconsidering their position. China was a country that offered security for a long time: the situation was stable and government policy was predictable. But that has now changed. Do you want to consider going through another strict lockdown? That’s a spectre companies do not want to even think about. So should we be completely dependent on China for production? Well, that’s a no-go as well. In Europe, we learned our lesson thanks to our dependence on Russian gas. Some companies have decided to bring all their production back to home base. Other companies want to spread their risks more evenly. They are setting up a parallel production chain in addition to a Chinese production chain. Nearshoring – production activities taking place in the vicinity of the parent company and within Europe – can be an interesting option in this case. The EU pays more attention to the economic interests of European companies and is transparent to citizens and companies in the way it votes about, for example, covid policy. In addition, economic benefits can also be achieved close to home: lower transport costs plus higher performance from excellently trained and highly motivated employees.

Reshoring, offshoring and nearshoring: what do you think?
Finding a suitable production location is not easy these days. There are numerous factors to consider. To name a few: armed conflicts, different political systems and cultures, specific national laws and regulations, the cost of labour and transport and policies regarding pandemics and other health risks. We are very curious to know which region is most attractive to you and your company right now. Therefore, we have put together a poll. Would you please express your opinion via this link. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated! No doubt you would like to know what fellow entrepreneurs think. We will return to the results of the poll in our next newsletter.

 

How do you increase flexibility and production capacity with outsourcing?

17 Apr
sixpointtwo

How do you increase flexibility and production capacity with outsourcing?

Peter Nieland, Plant Manager of SmartMetals Mounting Solutions B.V. in Culemborg:
“SixPointTwo is part of our business process.”

 

Schools, events and talk shows on TV: SmartMetals are always around wherever you can see AV systems. “We make suspension systems for the professional AV market to mount screens in any desired location,” says Peter Nieland. As Plant Manager, he is responsible for the complete production of SmartMetals in Culemborg. He explains what this involves and how SixPointTwo contributes.

SmartMetals makes many different types of suspension systems, all of them tailored towards specific professional applications. “We offer ceiling solutions, standing solutions, floor-to-ceiling solutions, and solutions for video walls and LED walls, and much more.” SmartMetals is part of the Vogel’s Group, which also serves the consumer market from its head office in Eindhoven.

International customers
SmartMetals supplies is products to parties in the Benelux, other European countries and the United States, both directly and via customers. The end users can be found in various sectors, such as education (including schools and museums), rental (systems for public events), companies and government institutions. “Display suppliers also purchase from us in order to offer their customers complete solutions.”

Production plant in Culemborg
The production team in Culemborg works to a build-to-order schedule. “Customer orders come to us through Sales. We ensure the requested products reach the customer. Design, work preparation, purchasing, assembly, packing and shipping: we do all of that.” Parts come from elsewhere. “We don’t make the parts in Culemborg. We only have a saw machine to cut aluminium extrusion profiles down to size. It is simply not feasible to keep all the required lengths in stock.”

We do keep a limited amount of stock. “We have separate parts in the warehouse that we use in the desired configuration, depending on the customer requirements. However, we do not have finished products in stock. We would need a gigantic warehouse for that, which would require far too much capital.”

Supplier input
SmartMetals works with a small group of manufacturing suppliers who contribute to the production process. “These suppliers make the parts we have designed. Before we start working with a supplier, we ask them to make test samples. We validate the products by carrying out our own checks. This means we can test whether the manufacturability of this supplier is good and whether they can guarantee the quality.”

From parts supplier to end product maker
SixPointTwo started out as a supplier of wheel frames and PC trays to SmartMetals. After a while, and following close consultation, a decision was taken to give SixPointTwo a different role. “Since the end of 2018, SixPointTwo has been making a trolley lift for us intended for the American market. We sell it through a customer of ours.” How does it work? “As soon as we receive an order from our customer, we transfer it to SixPointTwo. SixPointTwo produces all the custom parts for this in house. In addition, they also purchase the packaging material themselves. We supply SixPointTwo with all the off-the-shelf parts for the trolley lift, such as the wheels and electrical components.”

SixPointTwo assembles the trolley lifts and ensures they are UL-Listed and UL-Certified. The SmartMetals customer collects the trolley lifts in Humpolec. They then go to the United States in sea containers. “SixPointTwo must have the products ready on the agreed date and time to coincide with the departure time of the ship. SmartMetals provides the correct paperwork, the invoice, and the packing slip. And our customer uses these documents to arrange transport to the United States itself.”

Quality assurance: quality report
SmartMetals prepared the required working method with SixPointTwo. “We provided detailed and complete work instructions, up to and including the required method of palletising. One of our work planners and various assembly colleagues went to the Czech Republic for this – I was not working at SmartMetals at the time. This was to ensure the correct production with the necessary checks. In addition, the SixPointTwo employees received good instructions.”

Production follows a fixed procedure. ”SixPointTwo provides a quality report for the first product with every order. They check a box containing a complete trolley lift and check whether it meets all the specified specifications. The quality report is then sent to us. As soon as we have given approval, SixPointTwo can continue with production.”

Unburdening provides extra capacity
The trolley lift is a popular product on the American market. “During the time we also still made the trolley lift ourselves, at one point we delivered an order for 11,000 lifts in 50 sea containers using SixPointTwo.” SixPointTwo is the only supplier that makes a complete end product for SmartMetals. “There have been some start-up issues, but they have all been resolved. SixPointTwo is a very reliable partner: they honour their agreements and the quality delivered is very consistent. And not just in terms of quality, but also lead time, flexibility and communication – things are going very well: SixPointTwo takes care of everything. This means we can retain our capacity for smaller orders that require relatively much more control, and which we therefore prefer to keep in house.”

No more supplier hopping
Hopping from supplier to supplier: that’s not what SmartMetals is all about. “Of course we keep our suppliers sharp, and we sometimes set a benchmark as a check, also in terms of price. But we also know that we cannot do without our suppliers. They are part of our business process; we must be able to rely on each other. We therefore focus on positive co-operation in which we solve any problems we encounter together. And this works very well with all our suppliers!”

How do you increase flexibility and production capacity with outsourcing?
Packing: a routine job or a job for specialists?

Packing: a routine job or a job for specialists?

17 Apr
sixpointtwo

Packing: a routine job or a job for specialists?

Tomáš Benda, Assembly Manager:
“Customers are amazed at what it entails.”

 

It is the conclusion of every assignment SixPointTwo carries out: protecting the delivered products with safe, robust packaging before transportation. How does it all work? Assembly Manager Tomas Benda offers an explanation: “Every pallet is a puzzle.”

Loading and packing products on pallets is the responsibility of the Assembly Team. “Our team currently has 24 packaging specialists. The core is formed by 16 employees, and each one has more than 10 years of packaging experience.” The Assembly Team is familiar with all the products. They pack all the unassembled products onto pallets, such as powder coated or galvanised metal sheets and all the assembly products. In the latter case, the employee who assembles the products is also the one who packages them.”

Customer instructions for packaging and transportation
The initial starting point for the packaging work is the customer’s instructions. “The customer gives us some instructions regarding the packaging itself, the maximum weight per pallet, the labelling and the method of transport. The instructions differ per customer. We also take into account that products for Dutch customers travel about 1,000 km or more by road. This is carried out by external transportation partners.”

Custom pallets
Euro pallets (1200 x 800 x 144 mm) are often used for the products to be packed. However, other pallets are also regularly used. “For example, we make panels with a length of 3 metres and frames of 1 x 1.5 metres for one of our customers. Larger pallets with different sizes are required for this. For some other products, much smaller pallets are required. We make these customised pallets ourselves at SixPointTwo. We keep wood in stock for this.” Most of the wood we use is required to meet the IPPC standard. “The IPPC treatment helps prevent impurities and reduce material, energy and technology costs. No chemical products are used during this procedure, only thermodynamics. The IPPC treatment gets rid of pests such as bark beetles.”

The challenge
“Customers have clear requirements that we can easily meet. However, packaging is really difficult,” continues Tomás. What’s it all about then? “We make very different products: mostly single pieces or small series that are bundled into projects. This means the projects we carry out for our customers are often unique. We rarely have two projects in production that are exactly the same. This means we have to solve the packaging puzzle over and over again.” And that’s the task of the employee who loads the pallet. “But the employee can ask for advice from his team leader if necessary.”

Safety regulations
There are no specific safety regulations for loading a pallet. However, we always follow some basic rules. “The first basic rule is that the centre of gravity of the package must be exactly in the middle of the pallet. This is crucial for employee safety because it prevents pallets from falling over and causing accidents. Another basic rule is that the packaging must always be robust in order to prevent the forklift trucks from scratching the products.” SixPointTwo employees follow the general safety training and the specific safety training for forklift drivers every year. “These training courses are a legal obligation in the Czech Republic.” Also important: all the pallets are carefully rechecked at SixPointTwo before leaving Humpolec. “The truck driver then also checks whether the packaging is all right. In addition, the driver must drive safely so the load cannot fall over.”

Sustainability
Sustainability also plays a huge role with the packaging. “The wooden pallets are reused several times. We use straps – bands made of plastic – to securely fasten the packaging. We have tried other fasteners, but these work best. We pack the products in a protective plastic foil on the pallet. And we have considerably limited the amount of foil per palette. Working with our customers, we now use no more foil than is necessary for maximum protection.”

A new challenge every day
Tomáš loves his job. “It is never boring. I never know what’s going to happen when I get to work in the morning. And because SixPointTwo is continuing to grow, we are getting new customers, which brings even more new challenges.” Tomáš is also involved in contacts with future customers. “When they arrive in Humpolec, I show them how we pack small and large products with the different types of pallets. They are really impressed!”

Building your future: how do you do it?

17 Apr
sixpointtwo

Building your future: how do you do it?

Štěpán Romanovský, junior technician:
“It’s the ideal job to learn and gain experience.”

 

21-year-old Štěpán Romanovský has only been working at SixPointTwo for six months. In this short period he has already got to know many facets of the company. Meanwhile, his work is becoming more and more interesting and challenging. And that is exactly what he wants, because Štěpán has a clear goal in mind: “I want to set up my own company.”

Two years ago he had a part-time job at SixPointTwo during the summer holidays. He performed various activities on the laser cutting machine: cutting sheets, changing sheets and programming the machine. “When I left SixPointTwo, they said: if you want to come back to work here, there will always be a job for you.”

Back to SixPointTwo
After his summer vacation, Štěpán completed his secondary school education first. Technology was an important part of his specialisation. “I learned the basics of the machines: how they work, how to make calculations upon which you can base the programming, and how to prepare everything for production. I also learned how to make production drawings.” After graduating, he went to college. “It wasn’t really my thing. It wasn’t that the study was hard, I just found it boring. And that’s why I decided not to continue.” When SixPointTwo approached him, the choice was quickly made. “The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, I had already experienced that previously. Work colleagues are more than happy to help you if you need anything.” Another factor to consider: everyone knows everyone. “I previously worked for a company with more than 3,000 employees. I was nothing more than a number to them.”

More responsibility
Štěpán started his new job in September 2022. Initially he performed simple, practical tasks, such as dropping things off, printing drawings and carrying out preparatory work. Gradually, however, he has been assigned increasingly complex tasks says his supervisor, Quality and Technology Manager – Karel Bartasek. “We now ask him to check procedures, participate in calculations for new products, and solve technological problems in consultation with the Dutch office. And he now participates in meetings about the production of new parts.”
He can usually be found in the office but, depending on the assignments he receives, he also goes out to the production departments. How does it feel? “It feels good. I have much more responsibility now than I did when I was here part-time. Solving technical problems in production is fascinating work. I communicate about the projects with the office in the Netherlands by e-mail and phone. And I recently worked at the Dutch office for a few days.” And there is even more that pleases him. “I can use my English language skills when I am talking with my colleagues in the Netherlands; I like the English language.” The mentality at SixPointTwo also appeals to him. “The quality always comes first, small project or large project.”

Ambitions
From his current position, Štěpán is already looking ahead. “A job as a Production Manager appeals to me. The Production Manager supervises production for various customer projects. It is his/her your responsibility to ensure the people at the machine can perform well so we can deliver optimal quality to our customers.” But in the meantime, Štěpán is learning plenty. “I learn what is involved in the production processes at various places in the company. This means I can study SixPointTwo as a company at the same time. This is how I am trying to develop myself.” Karel Bartasek has seen Štěpán grow: “Štěpán is developing steadily and trying to get as much work done as possible. I give him advice on where to look for information. In my opinion, allowing newcomers to do the research themselves is the best way to guide them. This is how they learn the most about their work.”

Dream: owning his own company
A future after SixPointTwo: Štěpán is already thinking about it. “I want to set up my own company. A company that specialises in the production of small parts for complex projects.” Why does he want to become an entrepreneur? “I don’t want to be employed by a big company; I think it would be nice to grow with my own company. And if possible, I don’t want to work all my life. If I’m successful, I won’t have to. But the most important thing for me is the freedom you have as an entrepreneur.”
And Karel Bartasek believes this is not an unrealistic vision of the future. “This position will give him a broad perspective on industrial production, and he will gain a lot of experience. In addition, there are many machine companies in the region. If Štěpán remains as passionate about his work as he is now, he will certainly find a future here.”

Save your money first
My own company: I haven’t got that far yet. “I need start-up capital; I am saving for that. In addition, I am immersing myself in everything else required to set up a company.” His development continues at SixPointTwo. “I am learning how to communicate with other people, such as my Dutch colleagues and customers. I am also learning about how audits work; I recently contributed to a few audits by supplying data for the auditors.” And there is still plenty of challenges for me at SixPointTwo: “I could work here for years without realising it: time just flies by. I like the atmosphere; we talk and have fun. At the same time, I work hard, just like my colleagues. It’s a great place to work.” But it’s so much more than that: “This is my first real job: the beginning of everything.”

 

Building your future: how do you do it?
How do you find a good assembly partner?

How do you find a good assembly partner?

10 Jan
sixpointtwo

How do you find a good assembly partner?

Bart Smulders of B-Style on working with SixPointTwo:
“You have to understand each other, without having to explain everything”

 

In 1973, Ad Smulders invented the wheelchair van. That was the beginning of B-Style, the company now run by his son Bart Smulders. In the year 2022, B-Style delivered conversion kits from Oss to selected conversion companies around the world. This allows these companies to convert commercial vehicles of various brands into wheelchair vans, wheelchair buses, city buses or taxibuses. “More than 95% of our conversion kits are sent abroad, including Australia, Asia, the United States and Europe”, says Bart Smulders.

B-Style converted commercial vehicles for many years. The company sold them to customers in the Netherlands as well as other European countries. “In 2017, we decided to focus entirely on supplying conversion kits to conversion companies. This is because the market has changed a lot over the years. More and more conversion companies have joined in, while the legal requirements and certifications have become increasingly extensive and onerous.” The change is in line with the innovative nature of the company. “With a team of 20 people, we concentrate entirely on developing, supplying and servicing conversion systems and solutions for combined transport. We can now focus even more attention to product development: building and testing prototypes.”

Always a complete solution
Any conversion kit that B-Style supplies for a specific commercial vehicle application can be used anywhere in the world. “For this, we look closely at the market and at the legal requirements and certifications. For a Volkswagen taxibus, a conversion company in Finland gets the exact same conversion kit as a conversion company in the Middle East. That taxibus is then rendered suitable for driving on snowy roads and in the mountains as well as for trips in the desert. We thus increase the overall quality of the kit.”

Safety first
B-Style relieves its customers of their concerns. “We arrange all the paperwork concerning certification and legal requirements. Irrespective of whether a customer is located in Spain, India or Australia: they can be confident that our conversion kit will meet all local requirements.” B-Style also arranges all matters with the commercial vehicle manufacturers. “They issue a letter of no objection for the conversion kits we make for their commercial vehicles. Among others, we are a Premium Partner of Volkswagen and Van Partner of Mercedes. If a kit goes to Hong Kong, Volkswagen Hong Kong can immediately check whether it is conformant.”
All these precautions are necessary since we are concerned with passenger transport in this context. “The safety of people is crucial. We have to guarantee that the conversion remains in one piece even if an accident happens.”

Assembly
The changeover to focusing exclusively on conversion kits has been a major operation. “For instance, we also ensure that the conversion companies we supply to are fully in control. For their part, they must be able to fully rely on the quality of our conversion kits. Each set must therefore be complete, down to the last nut.”
Many parts of the conversion kits, such as sheet metal parts, wiring harnesses and plastic parts, are made by partners. “Because assembly is a time-consuming process, we like to collaborate with partners who can not only manufacture components, but can also assemble larger components. The time we save in this manner can be invested in product development and service.”

Cooperation with SixPointTwo
After an introductory meeting with Iman Landheer in December 2021, a collaboration with SixPointTwo was launched early this year. “We were looking for a new party that can also perform assembly work. As agreed, we started small. We first requested quotations and then placed an order for making simple steel components. Step by step, we expanded that to components in larger series and to more complex components. We have now taken the next step: SixPointTwo now also assembles larger components.”

Assessing assembly partners
What is the basis on which B-Style assesses assembly partners? “The first requirement of course is that their product should meet our specifications. This requires that they interpret our drawing correctly! But we also expect them to think about smarter ways to make the product.” In addition, communication is important. “Do we get quick answers to our questions? Do they respond quickly, jointly examine solutions with us, and in case there are mistakes, do they also have the courage to reach out and follow through?”

Understanding each other is another requirement. “If, for instance, we specify that a product must not be sharp, our partner must understand why we require that and also what we mean by it. After all, everything we make passes through human hands, at SixPointTwo, at our end, in the conversion companies, and at the transporters’ end as well.” Another important aspect: you shouldn’t have to explain everything. “I once heard the story of an entrepreneur who had had components made for a consumer item from a foreign assembly partner. Those components met all the technical requirements. But they had one drawback: they stank beyond belief. That assembly partner was indignant when the entrepreneur called him out on it. Where in the specifications was it stated that this was not allowed? Well, if you have to explain that …”

The future
The phase of exploring what B-Style and SixPointTwo have to offer to each other is over. Bart Smulders is positive. “We will continue to work together. One problem is just that the market is unpredictable at the moment. The market has still not recovered from corona. Vehicles are being delivered with delays. As a result, we cannot look beyond two to three months at the moment. We discuss this with our customers and our partners. But if the market develops as we hope, then the collaboration with SixPointTwo will definitely grow!”

Are you curious about what SixPointTwo can do for your company as an assembly partner? If so, please contact Iman Landheer, tel +31 6 4224 3466, e-mail iman.landheer@sixpointtwo.eu.

 

How do manual welders and welding robots work together effectively?

10 Jan
sixpointtwo

How do manual welders and welding robots work together effectively?

Aleš Pokoj: “Short preparation time and fast execution make the difference”

 

Sheet metal processing is one of SixPointTwo’s core activities. Welding is an important part of that. SixPointTwo deploys welding robots as well as skilled workers for this purpose. The combination of humans and robots has a clear added value, according to Production Manager Aleš Pokoj: “It allows us to meet our customers’ requirements quickly.”

“For each job, we think about the best way to execute it: manually – or using a welding robot”, Aleš explains. “We use the two welding robots for large production series. Our team of manual welders mainly works on single pieces and small series.”

Own welding jigs for greater efficiency
The welding process is completely set up to ensure efficiency. All the tasks of the welding robots, for example, are programmed offline on the PC, and consequently the welding robot never has any idle time. Another time-saver: “We design and make all welding jigs, both for the welding robots and the manual welders, ourselves. This makes us very flexible when we plan and execute orders. Because we are not dependent on others, we can respond immediately to customer demand. This saves us a lot of time.” Some recent examples illustrate the short lead times: “We delivered 500 components to a new customer in intra-logistics. This included the making the welding moulds; we completed this order within two weeks. For a new customer in agribusiness, we recently made five items, in series of 250 to 500 pieces. This order took three weeks, which included three days for preparing the welding moulds.”

State-of-the-art technology
Besides efficiency, quality is obviously a priority. When designing welding jigs, SixPointTwo uses the poka-yoke principle for good reason. “Each welding jig is designed to ensure that the welder cannot position the materials incorrectly.” It also employs state-of-the-art equipment from renowned companies. For instance, the welding robots are from Panasonic. Both manual welders and operators of the welding robots use Siegmund welding tables, which guarantee short preparation times. Cloos welding machines are also used.

Methods and materials
SixPointTwo has eight welding boxes and three sanding booths. “We can guarantee consistent quality since the eight welding boxes are identical.” The modern work areas are fully equipped in conformity with the requirements for safe and healthy working. The techniques used are MIG/MAG welding, and TIG welding with and without filler rod. The materials welded are steel, stainless steel and aluminium. “For example, our manual welders have worked on the aluminium frames that form the basis for Boat Lifts.” Components for cars are also manually welded. “These components have to meet specific requirements. We conduct penetration tests according to a checklist, to verify that the components are watertight.”

Investing in people
SixPointTwo’s two welding robots are operated by well-trained operators. SixPointTwo’s manual welders are selected with great care. “They must have the right qualifications, but that is not all. We also ask applicants to perform a trial job. The leader of the manual welders’ team puts together the trial job and assesses how the candidate performs the trial. He then decides whether or not the manual welder can be hired.” If the welder is hired, he is intensively supervised and familiarised with instructions and working procedures for the first few months. “The team leader also participates in this process; in fact, he is responsible for onboarding the new employees.”

The in-house advantage
The welding department contributes to SixPointTwo’s competitive edge in sheet metal processing, Aleš concludes. “Welding is something we do totally in-house. In the same manner, laser cutting, powder coating and assembly are also done in-house at SixPointTwo. The fact that we use manual welders and welding robots and design and make the welding jigs ourselves is a major advantage in this regard. This ensures that we are fast and flexible. Moreover, we need very little preparation time. If we have a good 3D model or a clear drawing, we can get straight to work.”

Wondering what SixPointTwo can do for your company with welding? If so, please contact Iman Landheer, tel +31 6 4224 3466, e-mail iman.landheer@sixpointtwo.eu.

How do manual welders and welding robots work together effectively?
Behind the scenes of online shops and parcel delivery …

Behind the scenes of online shops and parcel delivery …

10 Jan
sixpointtwo

Behind the scenes of online shops and parcel delivery …

Every link is indispensable

 

In December, children look forward expectantly to what Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus will bring. Grown-ups are equally anxious: will the presents arrive on time? Those making ‘normal’ purchases from online shops also want to know whether they will be delivered normally in the last month of the year. Millions of orders and millions of parcels are processed day in, day out in the Netherlands and in surrounding European countries. SixPointTwo is also a link in the logistics chain that ensures this. A look behind the scenes …

In the sorting centres of Amazon and DHL, among others, many parcels are transported by the sorting lines 24 hours a day. These lines contain numerous subcomponents and modules produced by SixPointTwo. They are part of large sorting systems and perform their work inconspicuously within them. They have in the meanwhile become indispensable …

Sorting system for parcel dispatch
Automated, fast parcel handling that limits human activity to the minimum: that is what parcel dispatch is all about. A good example is the bulk sorting system used by an international logistics service provider in a network of regional mail sorting centres. SixPointTwo has made several components like roller conveyors with side guides, for this sophisticated system. These roller conveyors ensure that parcels move steadily and smoothly. The side guide prevents parcels from falling off the track. We also made other systems with powered rollers for this bulk sorting system, to shift parcels to another conveyor.

Cross-sorting system
An international parcel delivery service provider processes hundreds of thousands of parcels from more than 1,000 collection points every day. This is done in two automated sorting centres. Together, these huge sorting centres cover more than 10,000 square metres and are equipped with fully automated conveyor belts, robotics, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) and high-quality image recording. We created modules for this logistics system, with which the flow of parcels can be slowed down or accelerated as required. This ensures streamlined delivery of parcels to the sorting station, from where they can be sent to the appropriate distribution points. From there, they are then distributed to recipients.

Reliability is crucial
In a sorting system, every link is important. This is because the whole line comes to a standstill the moment even one part fails. The result: delays, extra costs and disappointed recipients. Obviously, this cannot be allowed to happen. SixPointTwo has built in extensive quality control to prevent downtime. All the subcomponents and modules we deliver are carefully assembled according to work instructions. They are then fully tested according to a test protocol based on the four-eye principle. Products equipped with motors pass through additional functional testing before they are released by our Quality Department. We use a FAT (Factory Acceptance Test) for this purpose.

The final component in SixPointTwo’s quality assurance is our own track-and-trace system. Although our customers do not make this a hard requirement, we consider traceability a must. With the track-and-trace system, we can trace the corresponding batch numbers of all components and raw materials used for the final product by means of the unique product number. We can also always retrieve the assembly date and release date from the quality department.

We make sure that things run smoothly …
The flow of online orders and packages is constantly increasing. From the consumer to the delivery person: everyone in the logistics chain wants to ensure that the process runs smoothly, literally as well as figuratively. Not just in the month of December, but on all days of the year. SixPointTwo is happy to contribute to that!

 

Working at an internationally oriented company

10 Jan
sixpointtwo

Working at an internationally oriented company

Pascal Claessen: “Each day is a learning experience”

 

Lots of variety and lots of contacts, with colleagues and with customers. That was stated in the vacancy for Commercial back office at SixPointTwo. That was the reason why Pascal Claessen decided to apply. Now, one and a half years later, he has another job at SixPointTwo that suits him even better.

Pascal had just completed the MBO (secondary vocational education) Transport and Logistics course in Venlo. Previously, he had had part-time jobs in the hospitality industry, did internships at several warehouses and did transport planning, among other things. “Commercial back office at SixPointTwo was my first real job.”

Future-oriented agreements
Pascal had just commenced his associate degree in Technical Business Administration.
At SixPointTwo, the agreements were clear. “I started off with the intention of progressing to HBO (higher professional education) level within the company. I have regular meetings with my supervisor Willian van Eerd about what is going well, what the areas for improvement are, and how I can develop further.”

Combining work and study
Pascal works four days a week and attends school/college on Thursdays. “If I have a test on a Monday evening, for example, I can take time off during the day. That is never an issue; we have clear agreements about that as well, as my supervisor also considers my development important.” Working and studying is tough. “I was very busy, particularly when I started off. I was often busy with school during the evenings and weekends. That has now reduced, since I have nearly completed my course.” He will graduate in February 2023.

Next job
Thanks to his education and development, it has already been possible for him to take a new step. “Since February 2022, I have been working as a calculator/work planner. That ties in nicely with my education.” What does the job entail? “The sales manager submits customer requests to me. We discuss these together and/or jointly with the customer. Using our programmes and my knowledge, I calculate the cost price. I then present it to the sales manager. Together, we discuss the calculation and work out a quotation based on the same.

Work preparation requires a lot of consultation. “I maintain close contact with the buyer in Weert and the buyer in the Czech Republic. I also consult with my Czech colleagues about engineering, planning, manufacturability and the specifications of the product to be made. I also frequently interact with customers, especially about specifications and delivery times. I like to know exactly what the situation is. Once the customer’s requirements and specifications are clear, we can, if necessary, present the customer with a recommendation, in order to optimise the design to improve their products. This may involve improving physical aspects such as product strength and material selection, as well as cost savings for the customer.

Greater challenges
“Commercial Back Office was nice to start with”, says Pascal. “But as a calculator/work planner, much greater demands are placed on me. That’s even more challenging for me!” He handles several requests simultaneously. He also answers questions from customers and colleagues. “It’s therefore important to work in a structured way. I did have to learn that. I discussed with my manager how I could tackle that. Things are constantly improving on that front. Calculating prices has been going well from the start. Communicating with colleagues and customers is something I enjoy and also do well; that is a strong point.” After graduating with an associate degree in technical business administration, he already has plans to take up a 3D drawing course. “Because I also do a bit of engineering, it is useful if I can make drawings myself and adjust customer drawings where necessary. This will allow me to assist and advise the customer even more directly. In addition, I am provided opportunities to develop further in the technical field through other training or courses.”

Atmosphere
The challenges in his work are important, but he also likes the working atmosphere. “It is extremely pleasant to work at the Weert office. We are a small club of ten people and help each other out wherever necessary. If there is a challenge somewhere, we jointly try to find a solution. We always succeed in the end. The joint lunch and drinks on Friday afternoon ensure that we end the week on a pleasant note.” We also enjoy close contact with Czech colleagues. “The Summer Party is organised in the summer, for which we go to the Czech Republic. That strengthens the bond with colleagues there. I’ve been there several times.”

Continuous growth
How does Pascal see his future? What are his ambitions? “I want to keep developing myself. SixPointTwo gives me plenty of room for that. Guidance, training and courses: you don’t get that everywhere. Besides, the company is growing and I learn new things every day. There are still plenty of challenges here; I would therefore like to grow along with the company!”

 

Working at an internationally oriented company
Efficient production automation starts with people work

Efficient production automation starts with people work

20 May
sixpointtwo

ERP system and laser cutting machine understand each other

Efficient production automation starts with people work

 

SixPointTwo has various in-house techniques for sheet metal processing. Laser cutting is one such technique. A Trumpf laser cutting machine was purchased for this purpose in 2018. Before the machine was delivered, consideration was given to the optimum method for the machine to communicate with ECI Bemet’s ERP system that SixPointTwo had been using for many years. Gerrit KleinJan of ECI Bemet and Tomáš Kautcký from Trumpf tell us what that entailed.

Sheet metal cutting is all about quality and cost efficiency. Therefore, the ERP system and the laser cutting machine must communicate well with each other in all phases of production control. “The biggest challenge is to always ensure the correct data gets from the ERP system to the laser cutting machine so the machine can provide feedback. Working with SixPointTwo, it was decided to first define the optimal process of production and control”, says KleinJan. He knows the ERP system through and through. “At the time, I was also involved in its implementation.”

Include outsourcing as an option
Together with the SixPointTwo team in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, KleinJan and Kautcký went through the process step by step. Specific wishes were formulated during this process. “SixPointTwo wanted to be able to decide during the process whether to outsource an order if this offered a more cost-efficient option and/or if it was a better fit after considering planning and available capacity. The decision is made partly on the basis of the information that the machine sends back”, says KleinJan. How does that work? ”The ERP system communicates the orders the machine will execute. One of the things used for this is the start date and the delivery date of each order. The machine must then return information for each order: How much time will it take to complete the job? Is there enough time, or does the job require too much capacity from the machine? In the latter case, the order will be returned to the ERP system and the order outsourced.”

Nesting
KleinJan noticed the option of integrating outsourcing into the production management process was not being utilised very often. “After internal processing had been chosen in the process, an option to choose outsourcing based on available capacity was still required. This was a challenge, particularly for the programmer. We solved this within the link between ERP and laser cutting machine by including fields within the ERP that state which cutting jobs are already nested in the laser cutting system and which jobs are not. For each of these fields there is a definition about which data must be supplied from the laser cutting machine. This two-way street offers real communication. And it’s necessary for optimal control. As soon as the laser cutting machine has completed a job, the machine returns specific data for a subsequent calculation, such as the duration of the cutting operation and the material consumption.”
Another challenge focused on the exceptions: “What do you do if something goes wrong during the production process, if the order is cancelled, or the order is only partially completed? We also thought about this beforehand”, says KleinJan.

Smooth process
Defining the process was a smooth operation according to Kautcký. “We quickly came to our agreements: we took just two days to decide how we would go about it all. For Trumpf, the challenge was not as great as it was for ECI Bemet. Our first task was to provide documentation about the machine and adequate descriptions of the interfaces.” After completing the programming work at ECI Bemet, the necessary tests were carried out. The link appeared to work from the outset. “SixPointTwo played an important role in achieving this positive result”, says Kautcký. “They had a clear picture of the process and knew exactly what they wanted. You don’t see that often in projects like this.” KleinJan: “They gave us the time to ensure we had good preparation. This enabled us to deliver a great product with Trumpf.”

 

 

SixPointTwo has commissioned a second welding robot

20 May
sixpointtwo

The welding robot will never have to stand still again

SixPointTwo has commissioned a second welding robot

 

SixPointTwo now has two welding robots, both supplied by Valk Welding. Why are welding robots indispensable? Can they get any more efficient? Ad van Boxel, Technical Adviser at Valk Welding, shares his thoughts.

SixPointTwo first approached Valk Welding in 2016. The expansion of our production capacity necessitated additional welding capacity. “Especially the welding for serial production runs”, says van Boxel. A further increase in production led to the purchase of a second welding robot in 2021. “Like the first, this is also a complete welding robot system in which the welding robot is mounted on a stable H-frame. We also supplied DTPS: the software package for offline programming.”

Efficient use of time
How does the performance of welding robots compare to the performance of professionals? “Research has shown that a manual welder is actually welding 15% to 20% of their time. The remaining time is spent on other activities, such as loading and measuring the product. A well-managed robot installation, on the other hand, uses 70% to 80% of the start-up time for welding.” If you consider that skilled welders are increasingly difficult to find, and that they stop work every day after eight hours, you will understand why welding robots are indispensable. “A welding robot just keeps going. Depending on the production order, you can press start, turn off the lights and go home.” You no longer need a qualified welder for the human actions that have to be performed on the robot installation. “Any operator can perform them.”

Offline programming for extra production time
DTPS, the software package for offline programming, saves SixPointTwo even more time. “There are two programming options: online and offline programming. Online programming is done on the robot itself. The robot can’t be used for production during programming.” Offline programming doesn’t have that disadvantage. “This eliminates downtime. While the machine is running, you can programme on the PC. And when the programme’s ready, you send it to the welding robot.”

Always find the weld seam
First time right was an important performance requirement for SixPointTwo when choosing the welding robot system. “Our welding robot is equipped with Quick Touch Sensing. This means it can anticipate tolerances. Using the welding wire, it first searches for the product to determine where the weld seam is. The programme is therefore automatically adjusted for each weld seam, which means you get a perfect weld. It always finds the weld seam.” According to van Boxel, this is exactly what metal companies need. “As an example, sheet metal settles and always has many deviations. This welding robot can deal with these easily.”

Measure and check
It’s also important that the robot maintains control over the process. “This is because the welding source and the robot communicate with each other. The robot adds welding wire if necessary, and will stop automatically if there’s a problem or it runs out of welding wire.” In addition, the welding robot is equipped with Automatic Tool Control. “This programme lets the robot check whether the tool (the welding torch) is still in the original position on the robot arm. As a user, you can set the desired frequency of checking yourself. If problems are found, the robot will report them. The user can then repair it or have it repaired.” ATC ensures the robot continues to deliver the same performance from the moment of delivery. “A torch that isn’t in the right position shouldn’t be allowed to produce abnormal results.”

Under development
Valk Welding has offices in Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Ireland. The company only supplies welding robots from Panasonic. “Our relationship with Panasonic dates back to 1988. Our management team forms a part of the Panasonic development team. We’re therefore thoroughly familiar with their systems. All our technicians are trained to work with them. If a customer has a problem, we can solve it.”

Developments are moving quickly. Valk Welding is committed to fully automated offline programming. “To make it even easier for our customers, we want to shorten programming times for a large number of applications. In our steel construction, we’ve already reached the point where programmes can be generated offline using 3D packages.” In a new step forward, if all our production programmes can be made offline, the welding robot can also be considered ideal for single-piece production and it will never have to stand still again.

 

SixPointTwo has commissioned a second welding robot