RESOURCES

Whether launching a new product line, improving an existing product’s performance or reducing manufacturing costs, manufacturers of curtain walls and architectural glass and glazing go to great lengths to create new or improved extrusion designs.

Ask any engineer in the glazing industry their main criteria for selecting suppliers and the answers are likely to be along these lines: “We only work with innovative suppliers. We have to be ahead of industry trends. Product quality matters, and it has to meet the specs.”

As more and more manufacturers struggle to survive, this white paper reviews the challenges of competing on price while maintaining acceptable profit margins, and explores the benefits of active collaboration between engineering, manufacturing, and procurement.

The push for standards in today’s marketplace certainly does have its advantages. Using standard components makes it easier to manage inventories, and helps facilitate technical support and customer service.

It’s no secret that low-cost competition from overseas, soaring energy prices and the continued strength of the Canadian dollar have combined to expose several weaknesses in the Canadian manufacturing sector. Companies are under the gun as never before to become more efficient and optimize production.