Clearview National March 2020 - Issue 220 | Page 42
Window Extra
Fastener
‘health check’
prescribes
manufacturing
efficiency
and quality
assurance
» FASTENER SPECIALIST RAPIERSTAR
is providing extensive support to window and
door manufacturer Shelforce to streamline
fastener usage and ensure its workforce is
fully supported to achieve the highest quality
finished products.
The Birmingham-based manufacturer,
which specialises in the supply of windows
and doors to the social housing, new build
and schools sectors, is already benefiting
from a 25% reduction in the number of
different types of fasteners it uses following
a Rapierstar fastener ‘Health Check’. This
identified instances where a single fastener
type and size could be used for multiple
purposes throughout the assembly, a move
that has reduced fastener stockholding,
made ordering easier and simplified
manufacture.
Given the unique nature of Shelforce in
its provision of employment for people living
with a wide range of disabilities, its production
lines are configured in a way that enables
operatives to clearly identify which fasteners
to use for each part of the window or door’s
construction. Here, Rapierstar has helped by
not only reducing the number of different
types of fasteners being used – and thus the
scope for selecting the wrong one – but also
by producing colour-coded charts for every
workstation so fabricators have a quick and
easy-to-use fastener reference guide in front of
them at all times.
Rapierstar is supplying Shelforce with an all-
austenitic stainless steel suite of fasteners for
the manufacture of PVCu windows and doors
using Eurocell systems. By correctly applying
these premium quality fasteners, which are
designed to offer the highest level of resistance
to corrosion, Shelforce has established a
market-leading proposition, complete with
a clear audit trail to give customers complete
traceability and peace of mind.
46 » M AR 2020 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Howard Trotter, Business Manager at
Shelforce said: “The process changes that
Rapierstar have helped us to implement have
enabled us to further improve manufacturing
efficiency and optimise quality, while at the
same time multi-skilling workers so they are
able to work on any part of the production
line as required. This ensures we remain
competitive in the market with a range of
windows and doors that offer significant
quality benefits, supported by technical
documentation and test data that satisfies
client audit requirements, which our loyal and
growing customer base really values.”
Mark Calpin, Technical Sales Consultant
at Rapierstar added: “We’re delighted that
Shelforce have chosen Rapierstar as their
supply chain partner for fasteners and we
look forward to supporting them wherever we
can as they develop and grow. Bringing fresh
insights to their fastener usage, our technical
support is designed to help Shelforce maintain
its reputation for consistently high quality
finished products, whilst at the same time
delivering important productivity benefits.”
As the window and door sector’s specialist
fastener supplier, Rapierstar is uniquely
positioned to support manufacturers like
Shelforce to implement a fastener strategy
that ticks all the boxes. In addition to the
corrosion resistance benefits that austenitic
stainless steel fasteners offer, the products used
by Shelforce are also all CE marked and every
batch is tested against numerous performance
criteria at Rapierstar’s in-house test centre to
maintain quality consistency. Rapierstar is
also supporting Shelforce’s development of its
aluminium window and door range, including
a bi-fold door option.
Operating from its 100,000 sq. ft. warehouse
and distribution centre near Macclesfield,
Rapierstar works with customers across the UK
and Ireland to provide a complete product range,
competitively priced and delivered next day.
The Rapierstar service is backed by industry-
leading technical support team with a collective
experience in the fastener market of more
than 150 years, helping hardware and systems
manufacturers and fabricators to deliver safe,
secure, high performing finished products.
www.rapierstar.com